Tennessee Voting Guide

When is Tennessee's voter registration deadline?

If you want to vote in an election, you must be officially registered to vote at least 30 days before that election in person or online. If you are registering by mail, your application must be postmarked 30 days before the election.

How do I request an absentee ballot in Tennessee?

The Tennessee government permits two forms of absentee voting:

• In-person absentee voting (early voting)
• By-mail voting

If you are registered to vote, you can vote early without having to provide any excuse for doing so. The early voting period is generally 20 days before an election and generally ends 5 days before the election. Find more information regarding early voting dates and locations at the County Election Commissions.

Tennessee does not, however, permit no-excuse by-mail voting, so you must meet certain criteria in order to vote by mail. There are many categories that can potentially make you eligible to vote by mail. The various criteria and the processes for obtaining and submitting a by-mail ballot are listed in detail on the Tennessee Secretary of State's website. Make sure your absentee ballot by mail bears a watermark; otherwise, it will get rejected. 

What do I need to bring to the polls in Tennessee?

If you decide to vote in person, you will be required to show a federal or state ID that has both your name and your photograph. Some acceptable forms of ID are:

• Tennessee driver's license
• U.S. passport
• U.S. Military ID
• Tennessee handgun carry permit

If you do not have an acceptable form of ID, you may be able to get a free photo ID at a driver service center. If you simply do not have your ID with you, you can cast a provisional ballot and then return to the polls within two days with your ID.

There are, however, some exemptions to the photo ID requirement. For example, you do not have to present a photo ID if:

• You vote by mail
• You are hospitalized
• You have a religious objection to being photographed

More exemptions and regulations can be found on the Tennessee Secretary of State's website.

What special accommodations are available?

Voters with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations at the polling place, but the specific accommodations may vary from polling place to polling place. If you have questions regarding the accommodations in and/or accessibility of your local polling place, you should contact your local County Election Commission.

If you would like to file a complaint regarding polling place accessibility, you can do so by submitting either a Tennessee State Election Complaint form to your County Election Commission and/or a Title III Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Complaint form.

What do I do if I see something illegal at the polls?

If you witness illegal activity at the polls, you should report it to an election worker and to your local County Election Commission. If you believe your ability to fully exercise your voting rights has been illegally limited, you may want to consider seeking out the advice and assistance of an experienced legal professional.