Registration

A: Voter Registration Applications are documents issued by the State of Tennessee and may be used in any county within Tennessee. The Voter Registration Application can be used to:

• Apply to register to vote,Report a change of address for a voter,
• Report a name change,
• Report a change in other information, or
• Cancel a voter’s registration in another county or state To be Eligible to Register to Vote in Hamilton County, Tennessee all of the following qualifications must be met:
• You must be a United States citizen,
• You must be a legal resident of Hamilton County when submitting a voter registration application,
• You must be 18 years of age or older by the date of the next election,
• You must not have been convicted of a felony or, if you have such a conviction, have your voting rights restored as required by state law, and *You must submit a properly completed voter registration application at least 30 days before an upcoming election. These qualifications are the same in each county in Tennessee. To register to vote in Hamilton County, one must be a resident of Hamilton County.

A:Voter Registration Deadlines are specific under the law. If the completed forms are hand-delivered (walked in to the office), they must be delivered by the close of business on the 30th day before any upcoming election. A voter registration deadline could be for a federal, state, county or city election. This deadline is state law.

If the forms are mailed – either by the person attempting to register or the person organizing the voter registration drive – the envelope must be postmarked no later than the 30th day before any upcoming election. A form with a postmark of 29 days or less before Election Day would be considered untimely and the individual would not be eligible to participate in the upcoming election.

A: The Hamilton County Election Commission office personnel stamp all documents with the time and date on which they are received. Voter Registration Applications are categorized as “timely” or “untimely” at the time of receipt based on upcoming election deadlines. If a Mail-In Voter Registration Application is untimely, the voter will be notified by mail that their registration was received after the deadline and he/she will not be eligible to vote in the upcoming election. Applications marked untimely for an election will be processed as soon as the election is over. The voter will then be eligible for the next election.

Voter registrations timely filed are processed in the order in which they are received. An applicant’s eligibility to register is determined by the Hamilton County Election Commission office personnel based on state law. (See requirements listed above.) Registrations that have a deficiency, such as a missing or incomplete social security number, a missing signature, etc, will be rejected and the voter notified in writing. Occasionally, registration forms are received in Hamilton County belonging to a neighboring county. Those forms will be forwarded to the appropriate County Election office.

What IDs are acceptable?
Any of the following IDs may be used, even if expired:

• Tennessee drivers license with your photo
• United States Passport
• Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
• Photo ID issued by the federal or any state government
• United States Military photo ID
• State-issued handgun carry permit with your photo

What IDs are not acceptable?

• College student IDs and photo IDs not issued by the federal or a state government are NOT acceptable.

Who is exempt?

• Voters who vote absentee by mail (view requirements here)
• Voters who are residents of a licensed nursing home or assisted living center and who vote at the facility • Voters who are hospitalized
• Voters with a religious objection to being photographed
• Voters who are indigent and unable to obtain a photo ID without paying a fee

What if I registered by mail and am voting in my first election?

Federal law requires first time voters who register by mail to present one of the following:

• A current photo identification with voter’s name and photo OR
• If the photo identification is expired, the voter must also present one of the following: a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the voter’s name and address.