Tennessee

Land Acknowledgement

Tennessee does not have any federally recognized tribes, but it is the traditional homeland of many tribes.

Overview

You can register to vote online, by mail, or in person. The deadline to register to vote is October 11. Tennessee offers the GoVoteTN app to allow you to view your sample ballot, locate your polling place, learn about your district, and more. You can download the app in the Apple store or the Google Play Store. You can also access the app through any web browser.

Key Dates

October 11 - Deadline to register to vote

October 19 - Early voting begins

November 1 - Deadline to request an absentee ballot

November 3 - Early voting ends

November 8 - Election Day

Contacts

County Election Commission offices

Secretary of State - Elections: Call (877) 850-4959 or (615) 741-7956

Tennessee Voting Guide

Note: The information below is not legal advice on how to vote. Because voting information is changing rapidly during this election, make sure you check the links provided and check with your state about deadlines and voting specifics.

Registering to Vote

The voter registration deadline is October 11 for online, by mail, or in person registration.
No.
You must have a Tennessee driver's license or a Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security ID in order to register to vote online. If you do not have either of these forms of ID, you can register to vote by mail or in person. You will need a federal or Tennessee government-issued photo ID when you vote in person.
You must provide a residential address and a mailing address if it is different from your residential address. You do not have to live in a building to register to vote. If you are homeless, you can describe where you usually stay or return to when absent.
You can contact your local County Election Commission office to verify that your address is valid. You may also check your registration online using Tennessee's voter lookup system.
You can obtain a Tennessee driver's license at the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
Yes. You can register to vote online here.
No.
Yes. You can register to vote in person at your County Election Commission office, which you can find here. You can also pick up voter registration applications at your County Clerk's offices, public libraries, or Register of Deeds offices. You can also register to vote during a transaction with one of the following agencies: Department of Health (WIC), Department of Human Services, Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Mental Health, Department of Safety (motor vehicles division), or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Yes. You can register to vote by mail by picking up a voter registration application from your County Election Commission office, County Clerk's office, public libraries, and the Register of Deeds office and mailing the completed form back to your County Election Commission office. You can also download the application here. and complete and mail it to your County Election Commission office, which can be found here.
Your eligibility to vote depends on the crime your committed and the date of your conviction. You may regain your right to vote if your conviction was expunged or you had your voting rights restored. However, convictions of some crimes may render you permanently ineligible to vote. You can find the voting eligibility criteria here. You can contact the Secretary of State, Elections Division for more information about your voting eligibility here: (877) 850-4959 or (615) 741-7956 or online here.
You can contact your County Election Commission office or the Secretary of State, Elections Division here: (877) 850-4959 or (615) 741-7956 or online here.
The deadline to register to vote is October 11.
Yes, under federal law you can assist someone in registering to vote if they do not speak English well, if they have trouble reading or writing, or if they have a disability.

Checking & Updating Voter Registration

Yes. You can check your voter registration here.
You can call your County Election Commission office to check your voter registration. Find your County's office here.
You can update your address or change your name using the online voter registration system here. You may also update your name and address using the voter registration application here. You can complete the application and return it to your County Election Commission office. Your update must be received by the County office no later than November 3.
Maybe. If you did not respond to a confirmation notice from your County Election Commission office and you did not vote or update your registration for two consecutive regular November elections, you likely have to re-register to vote. Check your voter registration status here.

Voting by Mail/Absentee/Ballot Drop-Off

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is November 1. You must provide a reason for requesting an absentee ballot. You may not return your absentee ballot in person. You must return it by mail using USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc. Absentee ballots will be sent out at varying times depending on which county you live in.
Yes. Please check that you have filled out all required fields and signed your ballot. USPS recommends you mail in your ballot a week before the deadline to ensure your ballot is received on time. However, please factor in your personal experience with mail delivery times to and from your place of residence or where you drop off your ballot.
You must submit a request for an absentee ballot. You may request an absentee ballot by submitting a request form to your local County Election Commission office, which can be found here. You can find your County office here. You can submit your absentee ballot request by mail, fax or email. If you email your request form, your attached documents must contain the following information and your scanned signature: your name; your residence address; your Social Security Number; date of birth; an address to mail your ballot; the election you wish to participate in; the reason for wanting to vote absentee; and your signature. If you do not provide all the information required, your County Election Commission will return your request form to you so you can make corrections and resubmit your application.
Yes. You are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in Tennessee if you meet one of the following criteria listed here. For example, if you are 60 years of age or older, you are eligible to vote by absentee ballot.
Yes.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is November 1.
Mail-in ballots will be sent out at varying times depending on which county you live in. You can check when your ballot will be sent out by contacting your County Election Commission office here.
You can have your ballot mailed to your mailing address on your voter registration form.
Yes.
Your ballot must be received by Election Day before your polling location closes. You can check your local polling location here.
No. You must return your absentee ballot by mail (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.). Hand delivery or handing your ballot to a poll worker during early voting or on Election Day is not permitted.
No.
Yes. You can send your ballot with USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.
No.
Your ballot can be rejected for many reasons which include no signature on your absentee ballot envelope, a signature or voter details that does not match what is in the state's system or your ballot was received after Election Day. However, your local Election Commission is required to notify you of the reject and give you an opportunity to fix the problem. If it is too close on Election Day, they can have you fill out a provisional ballot.
Yes. You can track your ballot here.
You can contact your local Election Commission office here.

Voting In-Person

You can find your polling place and hours online using Go Vote TN or download the app in the Apple store or Google Play store.
No.
Yes. The early voting period begins October 19 and ends November 3. You can find your early voting location here.
Yes. You must bring a valid photo ID which include: a driver's license or a photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, by Tennessee's state government or by the federal government even if they are expired. College student IDs are not acceptable. You can call the Division of Elections at (877) 850-4959. You can learn more about what types of ID are acceptable here.
You can get ID that will allow you to vote at your local Driver Services here. You can learn more about how to get a valid photo ID here. Photo IDs are not available at the West Knoxville Reinstatement Center in Knox County.
Yes. You may cast a provisional ballot if you do not have an acceptable photo ID or if your name is not on the list of registered voters. If you cast a provisional ballot because you lack an acceptable photo ID, you must return to your local County Election Commission office within two business days and present an ID. You will sign an affidavit and a copy of your ID will be reviewed by the counting board. If you cast a provisional ballot for any other reason, the Commission will verify your ballot based upon the voter rolls.
Yes. Under federal law (Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act), you are entitled to bring anyone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or neighbor, to the polling place AND into the polling booth to assist with voting. However, that person may not be your employer, running in the election, or a representative of your labor union. The person giving assistance also may not tell the voter how to vote.
You can contact your County Election Commission office or the Secretary of State - Elections: (877) 850-4959 or (615) 741-7956 or online here.