How to vote in Tennessee
Tennessee voter registration guide
Tennessee voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 30 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked 30 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 30 days before Election Day
Check your Tennessee voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Tennessee registration using the Tennessee voter registration lookup site.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
Tennessee voter registration rules
To register in Tennessee you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be a resident of Tennessee
- be 18 years old by Election Day
- not be adjudicated incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction (or have been restored to legal capacity)
Tennessee online voter registration
You can register to vote online if you have Tennessee driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued photo ID card.
- Visit the Tennessee online voter registration site.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 30 days before Election Day .
Tennessee by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Your full social security number is required in order to register to vote in Tennessee.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You do not need to register with a party to take part in that party’s primary election, caucus, or convention.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Optional.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be postmarked 30 days before Election Day .
Tennessee in-person voter registration
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your Tennessee driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring ONE photo ID that shows your name, and ONE document that shows your name and Tennessee address. Acceptable documents include a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Tennessee same day registration
Registering to vote in Tennessee with a felony conviction
Voting rights restoration can depend on the date or type of conviction, repayment of fines, the outcome of an individual petition to the government, or gubernatorial pardon.
Tennessee absentee and mail ballot guide
Tennessee absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
Tennessee absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: 90 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 7 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 7 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Received by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): You cannot hand-deliver your mail-in ballot in Tennessee. You must put your voted ballot in the mailbox.
Tennessee absentee ballot rules
You can vote by absentee ballot in Tennessee if:
- you are 60 years of age or older
- you will be outside of your county during the early voting period and all day on Election Day
- you are a full time student outside of your county
- you reside in a nursing home or living facility outside of your county
- you serve as an Election Day official
- you will be unable to vote in person due to jury duty
- you have a physical disability and are unable to vote in person
- you are a member of the military or an overseas citizen
- you are on the permanent absentee list.
Tennessee online ballot request
Tennessee does not allow you to request your ballot online.
Tennessee by-mail ballot request
- Download the Tennessee absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- Your application must be received 7 days before Election Day .
Tennessee in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is 7 days before Election Day .
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail your ballot to your local election office.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be received by Election Day .
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Tennessee absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:
You must include your full social security number on your absentee ballot application.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot:
The signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected. Additionally, if you hand-deliver your voted ballot you will need to show a government issued photo ID to the election official. Student IDs are not considered valid in Tennessee.
Tennessee absentee ballot tracker
Track your ballot here: Tennessee absentee ballot tracker
Tennessee absentee ballot curing
Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.
- Your ballot will be rejected if you forget to sign it or if the signature does not match the one that the state has on file for you.
- You must make corrections by the close of polls on Election Day for your vote to count.
Tennessee emergency ballots
Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.
Emergency Ballot RulesYou may apply for an emergency absentee ballot 20 days before through the opening of polls on Election Day if you are hospitalized. Your ballot must be witness by another registered voter.
You may be eligible to vote absentee by personal appearance at the commision office if within 5 days to 1 day before Election Day:
- there is a death of your relative which will result in your absence from the state or county on Election Day
- you receive a subpoena or service of processing that requires your presence on Election Day
- Emergency ballot request starts 20 days before Election Day
- Emergency ballot request ends before polls open on Election Day
- Emergency ballot return deadline is Election Day
Contact your local election office
Tennessee early voting guide
Tennessee early voting dates
- Early voting starts: 20 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 5 days before Election Day
What to bring
You must show photo ID at the polls. You can show any ID issued by the State of Tennessee or the Federal Government, including an employee ID. You cannot use a student ID to vote in Tennessee. If you could not get an acceptable ID because of financial burden or religious objection, you may sign an affidavit and vote in person.
Tennessee voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
You must show photo ID at the polls. You can show any ID issued by the State of Tennessee or the Federal Government, including an employee ID. You cannot use a student ID to vote in Tennessee. If you could not get an acceptable ID because of financial burden or religious objection, you may sign an affidavit and vote in person.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
You must include your full social security number on your absentee ballot application.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
The signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected. Additionally, if you hand-deliver your voted ballot you will need to show a government issued photo ID to the election official. Student IDs are not considered valid in Tennessee.
ID requirements for online voter registration
You can register to vote online if you have Tennessee driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued photo ID card.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Tennessee elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
Coordinator of Elections Tennessee Tower, Seventh Floor 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave. Nashville, TN 37243‐1102
External resources
- Tennessee online voter registration
- Tennessee voter status lookup
- Tennessee absentee ballot tracker
- Tennessee polling place locator