The deadline to register to vote in Tennessee is Monday, Oct. 8. If you are not yet registered to vote in Tennessee and plan to do so on Election Day, Nov. 6, you must register in person at the Tennessee Election Commission, Metro Office Building First Floor, 800 Second Ave. S., Nashville, 37210.
Requirements to register:
- You must be a citizen of the United States.
- You must be or will be 18 years of age or older on or before the next Election Day, Nov. 6.
- You must be a resident of this state.
Residence is now determined as the day one begins living in Tennessee with the intention of making this state their legal residence.
WARNING: Giving false information to register to vote or attempting to register when not qualified is a felony punishable by not less than two years nor more than 12 years imprisonment, a fine of $5,000, or both.
Requirements to vote:
- You must register at least 30 days prior to an election.
- The completed registration forms must be postmarked or hand delivered to the election commission office 30 days before an election.
- An application for voter registration does not become official until the administrator of elections determines that all required information is complete.
- You must re-register:
-Within 90 days after a change of name for any reason, except by change in marital status.
-If your right to vote is restored pursuant to T.C.A. 2-2-139.
-If you are moving into this county from another county or state.
- You must notify the election commission in writing or by personal appearance if you are changing your address within this county.
Submitting the registration form:
- Individual forms may be picked up at the post office, public library, county clerk’s office, Register of Deeds, information desk at the county court house, the Department of Safety, the state/metro departments of health, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and local branches of the Armed Forces.
- Fill in all information asked for on the application.
- Remember to sign your application.
- The completed registration form must be mailed or hand delivered to the election commission office 30 days before an election. Persons using the postal service to deliver their registration forms during this 30-day period should be cautioned to have their forms canceled with the postmark to insure that they will meet deadline requirements. Change of address forms may be received by the fifth day before Election Day, or addresses can be changed at your new polling location on Election Day.
- The election commission will notify the applicant whether or not the form has been accepted. Approved applicants will receive their voter registration cards in the mail.
- Persons who register by mail will be required to vote in person the first time they vote before they are eligible to vote with an absentee ballot by mail.
For more information, visit the Tennessee Election Commission voter registration website.
Contact: Joan Nixon, (615) 862-8800
joan.nixon@nashville.gov