Tennessee Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

First-time voters who register to vote by mail cannot vote by absentee ballot. These voters must vote in person. 

Mail-in Deadlines

• Voter Registration: Postmarked at least 30 days before the election
• Absentee Ballot Application: Received by the Tuesday before the Election
• Voted Absentee Ballot: Received by close of polls

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Tennessee you must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be a resident of Tennessee
• be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
• not have been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, have had your voting rights restored (or have received a pardon). One can get their voting rights restored either with a court order or by completing a certificate of restoration.
• not be adjudicated incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction (or have been restored to legal capacity)

How to register to vote:

We recommend using our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form.  If you don't want to use the widget, you can download and complete the Tennessee Voter Registration Form.  Sign the form and mail it to your County Election Commission.

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Absentee Ballots

Tennessee calls absentee ballots "by-mail ballots."  You may vote by absentee ballot if you meet at least one of the following requirements:  

• you will be outside the county of registration during the early voting period and all day on election day;
• you or your spouse is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county of registration;
• a licensed physician has filed a statement with the county election commission stating that, in the physician's judgment, you are medically unable to vote in person. The statement must be filed not less than five (5) days before the election and signed under the penalty of perjury;
• you reside in a licensed facility providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, other than a penal institution, outside the voter's county of residence;
• you will be unable to vote in person due to service as a juror for a federal or state court;
• you are sixty-five (65) years of age or older;
• you have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place;
• you are hospitalized, ill, or physically disabled and because of such condition, cannot vote in person;
• you are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled;
• you are a candidate for office in the election;
• you serve as an election day official or as a member or employee of the election commission;
• you will be observing a religious holiday which prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on election day;
• you possess a valid commercial driver license and you certify that you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the early voting period and all day on election day;
• you are a member of the military or is an overseas citizen. 

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

A registered voter may apply for an absentee ballot no earlier than ninety (90) days before the election and no later than seven (7) days before the election. 

There is no official absentee ballot application, but we've created one you can use: Tennessee Absentee Ballot Application.  Mail your completed application to your County Election Commission. 

If you don't want to use our application, you can submit your own written request.  Your request must include the following information: 

1. Your name
2. Your home address
3. Your out-of-county mailing address  (only when the reason for voting by mail involves you being outside of the county during early voting and on election day)
4. Your social security number
5. The election you want to participate in.  (If the election is a primary, indicate which political party you wish to participate in)
6. The reason you wish to vote absentee; and
7. Your signature.

To be processed for the next election, the application must be received by your County Election Commission no later than seven (7) days before the election.  You may submit your absentee ballot application by mail or by fax. 

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you've already voted in Tennessee at least once, or if you registered to vote in person.  If you are a first-time Tennessee voter, and you registered to vote by mail, you cannot vote by absentee ballot.

Absentee ballot instructions:

The ballot itself is pretty straightforward.  Fill it out, seal the envelope, and sign where indicated.  If someone helped you fill out the absentee ballot, they must also sign where indicated.  Mail your absentee ballot back to your County Election Commission.  You cannot hand-deliver your ballot.  Your ballot must be received by the close of polls on Election Day.   

Once the election commission issues your absentee ballot, you cannot change your mind and vote in person.  You can only vote by mail. 

Additional Information