How to Vote in Tennessee’s 2024 Elections

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Last day to request an absentee by-mail ballot: Tuesday, Oct. 29
Deadline to return an absentee by-mail ballot: Tuesday, Nov. 5 (received, not postmarked)
Last day of early in-person voting: Thursday, Oct. 31
Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5

• Voter registration: The deadline to register to vote for the general election is Monday, Oct. 7. Visit the state's voter information portal to check your status.

• Absentee voting: Absentee by-mail ballots are available to some voters, including individuals 60 and older and people who will be traveling outside their county during early voting and on Election Day.

• Early voting: You can vote early and in person at your county election commission office or at a satellite early voting location, if your county uses one. Early voting usually starts 20 days and ends five days before an election.

• Voting at the polls: Polls are open on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Hours may vary by location. A federal or state-issued photo ID, such as a U.S. passport or Tennessee driver’s license, is required to vote on Election Day. 

Lawmakers in 2024 shortened the voting period in nursing homes from 29 days before an election to 27 days.

Redistricting in early 2022 altered certain boundaries of U.S. congressional and state legislative districts, but those changes have been challenged in court. Litigation is ongoing, so check back for updates.

Convicted felons may regain their right to vote in certain circumstances. Visit the secretary of state’s website for more information.

Register online, by mail, or in person:

• Online: Use the state’s voter registration portal to register or update your registration status. Include your name, date of birth and Social Security number. You’ll need a Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security ID or a Tennessee driver’s license to submit your application. 

• By mail: Print a voter registration form, complete it and mail it to your county election commission office. Or contact your commission office to request that a form be mailed to you. You also can pick up a form at a public library or at a county election commission, a register of deeds or a county clerk’s office.

• In person: Visit your county election commission office to fill out or return a completed registration form. You also can register during an appointment with the Department of Human Services, Department of Health or other location listed on the secretary of state’s website.

Seth Herald/AFP/Getty Images

Tennessee law does not allow for registration on Election Day. Residents must register to vote approximately one month in advance, whether registering in person, online or by mail. The voter registration deadline is Monday, Oct. 7, for the Nov. 5 general election.

Check whether you’re registered to vote through the state’s voter information portal or through the GoVoteTN app.

Absentee voting is allowed under certain circumstances, including for anyone 60 or older, people who will be out of town throughout the early voting period and on Election Day, those who live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities, and anyone who is hospitalized or who has a physical disability preventing them from going to a polling place. A full list of valid reasons is on the secretary of state’s website. Some residents may qualify for placement on a permanent absentee voter list.

• Online: Complete an absentee by-mail request form and email it to your county election commission office. Your email must include a picture of your signature, as well as your name, address, Social Security number, date of birth, a reason for voting absentee and the specific election for which you’re requesting a ballot. A ballot will then be mailed to you. 

• By mail or fax: Download, print and complete an absentee by-mail request form, then mail or fax it to your county election commission office.

• In person: Applications cannot be submitted in person. 

Only return completed ballots with proper postage by mail, including by the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, UPS or other mail carrier. In-person delivery of ballots is not permitted.

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.

Track your absentee ballot’s status via the state’s voter services portal.

Any registered voter may vote early and in person at their county election commission office or a satellite location. Early in-person voting for the general election runs from Wednesday, Oct. 16, through Thursday, Oct. 31.

Access the GoVoteTN app for information on when and where to vote, polling locations, sample ballots and election results. Also check the secretary of state and election commission websites for updated sample ballots.

Polling hours may vary by county, but all locations close at 7 p.m. CT, 8 p.m. ET. You will be able to cast a ballot after the polls close as long as you are already in line. Visit the state’s voter services portal for details and to find your polling place.

You’ll need to show a federal or state-issued photo ID, such as a U.S. passport, Tennessee driver’s license, military photo ID or handgun carry permit. A full list of acceptable documents is on the secretary of state’s website.

If you forget your ID at home, you may cast a provisional ballot when voting in person. You will then have until two business days after the election to show a valid photo ID to your county election commission’s office. While you’re there, you must sign an affidavit.

Voters who need assistance filling in their ballot can receive help from a poll worker or an individual of their choice, as long as that person is not an employer, union official or candidate on the ballot.

Polling locations will have an accessible voting machine designed to help residents vote privately and independently.

Voters with disabilities also have the opportunity to vote via absentee ballot.

If you live in a nursing home or long-term care facility, you are eligible to vote via absentee by-mail ballot.

Under legislation passed in 2024, lawmakers shortened the voting period in nursing homes. It can now start 27 days before an election instead of 29 days.


Editor’s note: This guide was originally published on Jan. 18, 2024 and has been updated with new information about upcoming 2024 elections.

Michelle Tuccitto Sullo is a contributing writer covering state and federal policy. She previously served as managing editor of the Hartford Business Journal in Connecticut and has worked for the New Haven Register, Connecticut Law Tribune and New Haven Biz.

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