Voter Registration

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
• Cancel a voter’s registration in another county or state

Eligibility to Register in Hamilton County

To be eligible, all of the following qualifications must be met. These qualifications are the same in each county in Tennessee:

• ☑️ You must be a United States citizen.
• ☑️ You must be a resident of Hamilton County when submitting the 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.

  • If the conviction occurred on or before May 17, 1981, you only need to answer the question on the registration form to be eligible.
  • If the conviction occurred on or after May 18, 1981, you must obtain a court order to restore your rights.
  • Disclaimer: Individuals convicted of specific permanently disqualifying felonies (such as voter fraud, treason, or first-degree murder during certain statutory timeframes) can never have their voting rights restored.
• ☑️ You must submit a properly completed voter registration application at least 30 days before an upcoming election.

Voter Registration Deadlines are specific under the law. A voter registration deadline could be for a federal, state, county, or city election. This deadline is state law.

• Hand-Delivered: If the completed forms are walked into the office, they must be delivered by the close of business on the 30th day before any upcoming election.
• Mailed: If the forms are mailed (either by the person attempting to register or an organizer), the envelope must be postmarked no later than the 30th day before any upcoming election. Pursuant to TCA § 2-2-109(a), if a by-mail registration form lacks a postmark but is signed and dated at least thirty (30) days before the election, it shall be considered timely if it is received by the county election commission no later than the twenty-seventh (27th) day prior to the election.

Note: If the 30th day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, applications are accepted on the next business day. Under TCA § 2-2-109(b), this extension applies to both the postmark deadline for mailed applications and the deadline for applications completed in person at the county election commission office.

The Hamilton County Election Commission office personnel stamp all documents with the time and date on which they are received. Under TCA § 2-1-108(b), when a document is filed in person at the election commission office, a receipt showing the time and date of filing must be given to the person filing the document. Voter Registration Applications are categorized as “timely” or “untimely” at the time of receipt based on upcoming election deadlines.

• Untimely Filings: Applications received after the statutory deadline are not eligible for the upcoming election. These applications will be held and processed as soon as the election is over, making the voter eligible for future elections, provided the application meets all legal requirements and is accepted.
• Timely Filings: Processed in the order in which they are received. Eligibility is determined by personnel based on state law. Note: The Division of Elections utilizes a statewide portal to check for felony convictions or non-US citizenship status before a registration is processed. If an application is rejected based upon information received from this portal, the administrator must provide written notice to the applicant of their right to appeal the decision to the commission within ten (10) days, in accordance with TCA § 2-2-125.
• Deficiencies: Registrations that have a deficiency will be rejected and the voter notified in writing. Under TCA § 2-2-116, the disclosure of the applicant's full Social Security Number is a mandatory pre-condition for the voter registration to be processed. Pursuant to TCA § 2-2-109(a), a qualified voter may correct a deficient but timely filed mail registration form by filing a completed application or otherwise correcting the deficiency on or before the next regularly scheduled November general election. If the deficiency is not corrected on or before that date, the registration is no longer considered deficient and becomes void.
• In-Person Registration (Effective May 5, 2025): To receive a voter registration card in person, an applicant must provide evidence of identification or verification of residential address (e.g., a utility bill or lease). If no evidence of identification or residential address is provided, the applicant is not rejected outright but shall be processed like a by-mail applicant.
• Wrong County: Occasionally, registration forms are received belonging to a neighboring county. Those forms will be forwarded to the appropriate County Election office.

Under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and codified in TCA § 2-2-202, voter registration forms are distributed through state and federal agencies. You can find forms at the following locations:

• Department of Safety
• Department of Human Services
• Public Libraries
• Military Recruiting Offices
• Hamilton County Health Dept.
• County Clerk’s Office
• City Halls

Additionally, pursuant to TCA § 2-2-115(b)(4), the county election commission is authorized to enter into agreements with the U.S. Postal Service, and forms have been placed at each U.S. Post Office in Hamilton County.

Under TCA § 2-2-105, “Registration of voters under this title is permanent.” The statute explicitly guarantees that once a voter is registered, it is unnecessary to register again unless the registration is legally purged under specific statutory conditions.

Removing Ineligible Voters

Voters are removed from the registration rolls under the following statutory conditions:

1. At the request of the voter;
2. Change of name for more than ninety (90) days for any reason, except by marriage or divorce;
3. Death of the voter. Pursuant to TCA § 2-2-133(d), county election commissions must purge voting registration records of deceased voters at least every thirty (30) calendar days, and this process must be conducted daily during any period of early voting through the day of the election.
4. Felony Conviction. Pursuant to TCA § 2-2-106(a)(4), this information must be received from the state coordinator of elections, the district attorney general, the United States attorney, the clerk of the convicting court, or another source upon verification by the clerk of the convicting court.
5. Move outside the county of registration or registration in another jurisdiction. Under TCA § 2-2-106(a)(5), executing a purge for this reason requires written confirmation from the voter.
6. Information from jury coordinators. Under TCA § 2-2-106(a)(7), a voter's registration shall be purged upon receiving notice from the jury coordinator that the person is disqualified from jury service due to being a non-United States citizen, convicted of a felony, deceased, not a resident of the state, or not a resident of the county.
7. Voter fails to respond to a confirmation notice, does not appear to vote, and does not update his or her voter registration between the time the notice is mailed, and the second November general election held after the notice was sent. (Note: While local procedures may schedule these actions during odd-numbered years, the strict statutory deadline mandated by TCA § 2-2-106(b) is no later than ninety (90) days before a federal election).
8. Not a U.S. citizen.
   • If evidence from federal or state agencies, including the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, indicates a voter is not a U.S. citizen, the county election commission must send a written notice to the registered voter (TCA § 2-2-141).
   • The voter then has thirty (30) days to provide proof of citizenship before the administrator of elections is authorized to purge them from the database.
   • Appeal Rights: Under TCA § 2-2-141(d), if a person is unable to provide standard documentation to prove citizenship within the 30-day notice window, they retain the right to appeal to the state election commission and submit additional proof of citizenship in person or in writing.