Am I
eligible to vote absentee by-mail?
You can vote
absentee by-mail if you fall under one of the following categories:
- You are sixty
(60) years of age or older.
- You will be
outside the county where you are registered during the early voting
period and all day on Election Day.
- You are
hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your
polling place to vote.
A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
- You are the caretaker of a hospitalized, ill or physically disabled person.
A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
- You or your
spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university
outside the county where you are registered.
- You reside in a
nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside
your county of residence.
- You are a
candidate for office in the election.
- You are
observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person
during the early voting period and on Election Day.
- You serve as an
Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election
commission.
- You will be
unable to vote in-person due to jury duty.
- You have a
physical disability and an inaccessible polling place.
- You or your
spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and you
will be working outside the state or county of registration during the
open hours of early voting and Election Day and have no specific
out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or
received during such time.
- You are a
member of the military or are an overseas citizen.
- You are on the
permanent absentee list (see question 4 below).
NOTE: If you reside in a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, home for the aged, or an independent living facility on the same property as a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, or home for the aged inside your county of residence, you may not vote absentee by-mail. Election officials will come to the facility to vote eligible residents, or you may vote during early voting or on Election Day.
How can
I request an absentee by-mail ballot?
You must submit a
written request containing the information below to your local
county election commission office by the seventh day before
Election Day. You can use the absentee ballot request form to make sure all required information is
provided.
You can submit
your written request for an absentee ballot by mail, fax, or e-mail. If
e-mailing your request, be sure the attached document contains the
information below and your scanned signature.
- Name of the
registered voter
- Address of the
voter's residence
- Voter's social
security number
- Voter's date of
birth
- Address to mail
the ballot
- The election in
which the voter wishes to participate. If the election involves a
primary, the political party in which the voter wishes to participate.
- Reason the
voter wishes to vote absentee. If applicable, a copy of the CDL
containing the CDL number or the TWIC card must be included in the
voter’s request.
- Voter's
signature
A request that
contains this information will be processed and a ballot will be mailed
to the voter.
NOTICE: A person
who is not an employee of an election commission commits a Class E
felony if such person gives an application for an absentee ballot to
any person or commits a Class A misdemeanor if such person gives an
unsolicited request for application for absentee ballot to any person.
T.C.A. § 2-6-202(c)(3) and (4).
What
if I do not provide all of the information required on the absentee
by-mail ballot application?
The county
election commission will return the application to you so you can make
corrections and resubmit your application.
Do I
qualify for the permanent absentee list?
You will receive
an application for ballot for each election if your licensed physician signs a statement stating that, in
their judgment, you are medically unable to vote in person. The
statement must be filed not less than seven (7) days before the
election and signed under the penalty of perjury.
When can I request my
ballot?
You may request an
absentee by-mail ballot no earlier than ninety (90) days before the
election and no later than seven (7) days before the election. To be
processed for the next election, the application must be received by
the election commission no later than seven (7) days before the
election.
What
if I do not receive or ruin my ballot and can no longer use it?
You should notify
your county election commission.
What
is the deadline to return my ballot so it can be counted?
You must mail your
ballot in time for your county election commission to receive it no
later than the close of polls on Election Day.
Can
I hand deliver my ballot to the election office?
No. You must
return your ballot by mail (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.).
Is additional information required to vote absentee by-mail if I am a first-time voter who registered to vote by-mail?
Unless you are on the permanent absentee voting register, enrolled in the Safe at Home program, or you have previously voted in the county of registration, you must appear in-person to vote in the first election after you have registered by-mail or online at GoVoteTN.gov.
Information for Voters with Print Disabilities
If you are eligible for an absentee ballot and you have a print disability that prevents you from reading or marking a paper absentee ballot, you may submit a Print Disability Absentee Ballot Request form to request an accessible ballot. “Print disability” means a disability that interferes with the person’s ability to effectively read, write, or use printed materials, and includes blindness, low vision, and physical disabilities such as paralysis, that interfere with such abilities. “Low vision” means a partial or total loss of sight that is not correctible with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. You may request that your accessible ballot be delivered electronically.
Click here to see if you are eligible and download a Print Disability Absentee Ballot Request form.