Q: What is
the address for the Hamilton County Election
Commission?
A:
700 River Terminal Road. Chattanooga, TN
37406
Q: What is
the web address for the State of Tennessee
Division of Elections?
A:
http://www.state.tn.us/sos/election/index.htm
Q: What are the functions of the Hamilton
County Election Commission?
A: Registering voters
Conduct fair and impartial elections
Maintain and update voter records (change of
addresses, name changes, etc….)
Candidates’ records (petitions, financial
statements, statement of interests, etc….)
Maintain and distribute election supplies
(voting machines, ballots, etc….)
Q: Who may register to vote?
A: Any citizen of the United States who is
or will be eighteen (18) years of age or
older before the date of the next election
and who is a resident of Hamilton County,
Tennessee may register to vote unless
disqualified under the law. T.C.A 2-2-102
and 2-2-104. You may also contact Louise
Patterson at (423) 493-5100 ext. 229.
Q: How and where may qualified voters
register?
A: Qualified voters register to vote by
obtaining and completing a voter
registration form and filing the form with
the local county election commission.
Persons may register in Tennessee in person
or by mail. T.C.A. 2-2-108, 2-2-110,
2-2-115, 2-2-116, 2-2-201, and 2-2-202. You
may also contact Louise Patterson at (423)
493-5100 ext. 229.
Q: How do you register in person?
A: Registration forms may be completed at
the local county election commission office,
Department of Safety (motor vehicles
division), Department of Health (WIC
program), Department of Human Services,
Department of Mental Health and Mental
Retardation, Department of Veteran’s
Affairs, public libraries, county clerk’s
offices, and register of deeds offices. You
may also contact Louise Patterson at (423)
493-5100 ext. 229.
Q: How do you register by mail?
A: Voter registration-by-mail forms may be
obtained from the county election commission
office, the post office, and a variety of
other public offices across the state. You
may also contact Louise Patterson at (423)
493-5100 ext. 229.
Q: When may a qualified voter register?
A: In order to participate in an election, a
qualified voter must be properly registered
no later than thirty (30) days before the
election. The election commission office
will process any by-mail voter registration
form that has been postmarked at least
thirty (30) days before the election. T.C.A
2-2-109. You may also contact Louise
Patterson at (423) 493-5100 ext. 229.
Q: Do I need to register for a specific
party (Republican or Democrat)?
A: No. Tennessee does not have a party
registry. In a primary election, you may
select either a Republican, Democrat, or
General ballot. The General ballot will not
list, of course, any of the party races.
Conversely, the partisan ballots will have
any general races or questions included in
the election.
Q: I am about to become a citizen. How
can I register to vote?
A: A deputy from our office always attends
the naturalization ceremony at the Federal
Building located in Hamilton County. You may
also print the registration form from this
web site or pick up a form from the Post
Office, Public Library, or any Public
Assistance Agency. You may also contact
Louise Patterson at (423) 493-5100 ext. 229.
Q: Why did I receive a green card in the
mail?
A: You received a green card because we have
mailed some type of correspondence to your
address and it has been returned to our
office marked undeliverable (ex. address
change, mailing address change, 911 address
change). You may also contact Laura Mullins at
(423) 493-5100 ext. 221.
Q: I have received a green card. What
should I do?
A: You should complete the form, make sure
it is signed, and return it to the Hamilton
County Election Commission office at your
earliest convenience. You may also contact
Laura Mullins at (423) 493-5100 ext. 221.
Q: How will I be able to vote if I reside
in a nursing home?
A: The Election Commission will send
deputies to each facility to allow any
resident who is a registered voter and a
full-time resident of a state licensed
nursing home, home for the aged or similar
licensed institution providing relatively
permanent domiciliary care in the county of
the voter’s residence. However, this will
not prohibit a resident from voting during
the early voting period at an early voting
location or from voting at their polling
place on Election Day if you prefer. You may
also contact Sherri Sivley at (423) 493-5100
ext. 234.
Q: I am a Hamilton County resident
attending college outside of Hamilton
County. How do I vote in a Hamilton County
election?
A: First time voters must register in person
in order to be eligible for an absentee
ballot. Contact the election commission
office to request an application for an
absentee ballot. If you qualify for an
absentee ballot, we will mail your ballot to
your dorm or apartment outside of the
county. You may contact Becky Bumgardner at
ext. 232.
Q: I am a resident of another county
attending college in Hamilton County. How do
I vote in an election in my home county?
A: You must contact the election commission
office located in your home county to
request an absentee ballot be mailed to you
at your Hamilton County address. If,
however, you would like to change your
county of residence, you may register to
vote in Hamilton County (which cancels your
registration in your previous county of
residence) and vote during any early voting
period or on Election Day. You may also
contact Louise Patterson at (423) 493-5100
ext. 229.
Q: How do I request an absentee ballot if
I am active duty military or a dependent?
A: If you are active duty military personnel
or a dependent stationed outside your county
of legal residence, a Federal Post Card
Application (Form 76) is available to you
through your unit’s Voting Assistance
Officer, or, you may contact the election
commission office to receive a form. You may
also contact Becky Bumgardner at ext. 232.
Please send completed Form 76 to:
Hamilton County Election Commission
700 River Terminal Road
Chattanooga, TN 37406
Phone: (423) 493-5100
Fax: (423) 493-5101
Q: How do I request an absentee ballot if
I am a United States citizen currently
residing overseas?
A: If you are a United States citizen living
overseas, you can obtain a Federal Post Card
Application (Form 76) at the nearest
American Embassy, or you may contact the
Election Commission office to receive a
form. You may also contact Becky Bumgardner at ext. 232.
Please send completed Form 76 to:
Hamilton County Election Commission
700 River Terminal Road
Chattanooga, TN 37406
Phone: (423) 493-5100
Fax: (423) 493-5101
Q: Can my absentee ballot be hand
delivered to the Election Commission office?
A: No. The by-mail ballot must be received
by the county election commission office
through the postal mail.
Q: How do I apply for permanent absentee
status?
A: Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated
2-6-201(3) (A), individuals within a
prolonged sickness, hospitalization or
physical disability may apply to be placed
on the permanent absentee roles. A
physician’s statement is required to be
eligible for permanent absentee status. Your
physician must sign our statement that you
are medically unable to appear at your
polling place and are medically unable to go
to the election commission office to vote
early by personal appearance.
We will contact your physician with the
appropriate paperwork. Once the paperwork is
completed, you will be placed on the
permanent absentee roles and will
automatically receive an absentee ballot
application for each subsequent election for
which you are eligible. You may also contact Becky Bumgardner at ext. 232.
Q: How do I change my address on my voter
registration?
A: There are several ways you may change
your address:
You may bring something with your new name
and new address printed on it to our office.
(For example: utility bill, bank statement,
credit card statement, or lease agreement.)
Fill out and sign the back of your voter
registration card and return by mail or
bring to our office.
Fill out a new voter registration
application checking “Change of Address” on
form, make sure you sign the application and
mail it or bring to our office.
You may also fax or mail address change
information to us only if you include the
following information:
Name as registered
Registration Number (if
known)
Date of Birth Social Security Number
Old Address
New Address
Daytime Phone Number Signature
You may also contact Regina Tate at (423)
493-5100 ext. 238.
Q: I've gotten
married or divorced, what do I need to do?
A: Though not required by law, you may fill out a new voter
registration application, checking “Name
Change” on the application. You may mail or
bring the form to our office in person. You
may also contact Regina Tate at (423)
493-5100 ext. 238.
Q: How do I change my given name on my
voter registration?
A: You must fill out a new voter
registration application accompanied by the
appropriate legal documentation such as a
court order. You may mail or bring the form
to our office in person.
You may also contact Regina Tate at (423)
493-5100 ext. 238.
Q: How may I purchase data?
A: Data (to be used for political purposes
ONLY) may be purchased for thirty-five
($35.00) dollars. Files are on CD and in a
tab de-limited format to be imported into
any database program. Contact Shannon
DeFriese at (423) 493-5100 ext. 223.
Q: How may I purchase maps?
A: Maps (ranging in size from 8.5” x 11” to
3’ x 3’) may be purchased by contacting the
Hamilton County G.I.S. department at (423)
209-7760.
Q: May I download campaign forms on-line?
A: Yes. Candidate information is available
from the Tennessee Registry of Election
Finance web site:
http://www.tennessee.gov/tref/cand/cand.htm.
You may also contact Charlotte Mullis at
(423) 493-5100 ext. 231.
Q: Do you have a list of Election
Commissions in the State of Tennessee?
A: Visit the State of Tennessee Division of
Elections website for a list of election
commission offices located throughout the
state:
http://tnsos.org/elections/election_commissions.php
Q: How can I get my rights restored if I
was convicted of a felony?
A: You may
click here to download the
“Application for Certificate of Restoration”
and contact Charlotte Mullis at (423)
493-5100 ext. 231 to see if you are
eligible.
Q: If I have a question about something
that occurs on Election Day, what should I
do?
A: DON’T WAIT! Call our office immediately
at (423) 493-5100 to report any concern or
ask any question. |
