Voting FAQs
Before Election Day
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To vote in the general election on Nov. 5, register by Oct. 6.
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You are most likely still registered. But remember, if you're new to Hamilton County or have moved to a new address within Hamilton County, you may need to register again or update your registration. It's easy to check on all of this if you're unsure.
Go here to see if you're still registered and where you're registered.
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If you're new to Hamilton County but are registered somewhere else in Tennessee, you must register to vote again.
If your current address in Hamilton County is different from the Hamilton County address on your voter registration, you should update your registration. If you don't, and you show up at the wrong polling place, you must sign a form and vote either at your correct polling place or at a central location set up by the election commission.
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The early voting period typically begins about three weeks before Election Day.
As the Nov. 5 election approaches, we'll share the exact early voting dates and a link to polling places.
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Through absentee voting, voters request to be mailed a ballot, fill it out, and mail it to their county election commission.
Only certain groups are eligible for absentee voting, including people over age 60, members of the military, and university students.
You can find out if you're eligible here.
Citizens can request an absentee ballot up to one week before an election. For the general election this fall, that is Oct. 29.
Absentee ballots must be returned, through the mail, by the time polls close on Nov. 5.
Read more about how to request and submit an absentee ballot here.
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In Tennessee primary elections, voters choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot and select the candidates they want to represent their party in the general election. Multiple candidates from the same party may run for the same office.
In general elections, voters select the candidate they want to hold each office. For those races, there will only be one choice for each political party. Voters will take part in a general election on Nov. 5, choosing the next U.S. president, their federal and state representatives and, in several Hamilton County municipalities, their city and town officials.
On Election Day
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Hamilton County will have dozens of polling places open on Nov. 5. But you have to vote at the polling place assigned to you.
We'll include a link to polling places as Election Day approaches.
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You are only allowed to vote at the polling place that corresponds to your address. If you go to the wrong one, you won't be able to vote there and will be redirected to the correct polling place, according to a Hamilton County Election Commission representative we spoke with.
To avoid any confusion, it's best to find your polling place before you go vote.
We'll include a link to polling places as Election Day approaches.
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All voter must have a photo ID to vote in Tennessee. That can be a driver's license with a photo, a photo ID issues by the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security, or another form of photo ID issued by the state or federal government. Even if you're photo ID is expired, it will still be accepted at the polling place.
Student IDs are not an acceptable form of photo ID in Tennessee.
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If you go to your polling place without a photo ID, you'll have to cast a provisional ballot. Your vote won't count unless you go to the election commission within two business days after Election Day, present your photo ID, and sign a form.
However, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security can send you a free photo ID that you can use to vote.
To get one, you must provide your birth certificate and two documents proving your Tennessee residency, such as a utility bill or vehicle registration.