WPLN’s election coverage can be found here. The guide below will walk you through the basics of voting in Tennessee.
Important Dates & Deadlines
Register to vote: Oct. 7, 2024
Early voting begins: Oct. 16, 2024
Apply to vote by mail: Oct. 29, 2024*
General election: Nov. 5, 2024
*This application should be mailed no later than Oct. 24, 2024
Registering to Vote
How do I know if I’m registered to vote?
It’s easy to check on the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website here, using your county, name and date of birth.
If you are eligible, the page should also tell you where to vote if you’re voting on Election Day, as well as what Senate, House and Congressional races you’ll be voting in.
How do I register to vote?
You can register online here or by mail. To register by mail, you can download and print an application here, or pick one up in-person at any public library, the county election commission office, or the county clerk’s office. Those paper applications can be mailed or delivered in-person to your county election commission.
Be sure to do so before the voter registration deadline on Monday, Oct. 7.
Voting Absentee
Am I eligible to vote absentee?
Yes, if you are:
- Over the age of 60
- Expected to be outside the country during both the early voting period and election day.
- Hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to come into a polling place to vote, or if your polling place is inaccessible for your disability.
- The caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill or physically disabled.
- A full-time student or married to a full-time student in a college or university outside the county where you’re registered to vote.
- The resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility outside of our home county. (There are some exceptions to this eligibility, since election officials may come to the facility so you can vote there.)
- Observing a religious holiday that conflicts with voting dates.
- An Election Day official or a candidate for office.
- Serving on a jury.
- A member of the military or an overseas citizen.
- Working outside the state or your county during polling times, without a specific out-of-county, or out-of-state address to send or receive mail. (You’ll need a commercial drivers’ license or a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card to confirm this.)
- On the permanent absentee list.
How do I request an absentee ballot?
You can submit your request for an absentee ballot by mail, email or fax.
Davidson County
Mail in: PO Box 650, Nashville, TN 37202-0650
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (615) 862-8810
Rutherford County
Mail in: 1 S. Public Square Suite 103 Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (615) 217-7144
Sumner County
Mail in: 355 North Belvedere Drive, #106 Gallatin, TN 37066
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (615) 230-6147
Williamson County
Mail in: 405 Downs Blvd Franklin, TN 37064
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (615) 433-8056
Wilson County
Mail in: P.O. Box 97, Lebanon, TN 37088
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (615) 443-2669
Cheatham County
Mail in only: 188 John Mayfield Dr., Ste 100, Ashland City, TN 37015
Robertson County
Mail: Robertson County Election Commission, 513 S. Brown St., Springfield, TN 37172
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (615) 382-3122
To vote absentee, your local county election board must receive your request by Tuesday, Oct. 29. If you’re mailing it in, election officials advise sending your request no later than Thursday, Oct. 24.
You can find the application here.
If you have a disability that interferes with your ability to read print, you can download an absentee ballot request that accounts for your needs here.
What’s the deadline for a mail-in ballot?
The same as the deadline for Election Day voters: when polls close on Nov. 5. But keep in mind that your mail-in ballot has to be received by mail. Delivering it by hand to your polling place during early voting or on Election Day is not allowed.
Can I track my ballot?
Yes, enter your information into Tennessee’s voter lookup page, and it can tell you when or if your ballot was received by the local county election commission office.
What if I do not receive my absentee ballot, or if it’s damaged?
Contact your county election commission immediately. They should resend a ballot to you.
Voting in Person
What do I need to bring with me to the polls?
To vote, you’ll need a state or federal ID that has both your name and photo. Those include:
- Tennessee driver’s license
- S. Passport
- S. Military ID
- Tennessee handgun carry permit with your photo
- Other photo ID issued by the federal or state government
An expired photo ID will work as long as it was issued by the government and has your name and photo.
If you’re a first-time voter and you registered to vote with an expired ID, you’ll need to bring something that proves your residency, like:
- A current utility bill
- A bank statement
- A government check
- A paycheck
- Or another government document that shows your name and current address.
Early Voting
When does early voting begin?
Polls will be open for early voting Oct. 16 through Oct. 31, every day except Sundays. In Nashville, you can go to any of the 12 polling places open during that time, including:
- Bellevue Library
- Bordeaux Library
- Casa Azafrán
- Edmondson Pike Library
- Goodlettsville Library
- Green Hills Library
- Hermitage Library
- Hillwood High School
- Lentz Public Health Center
- Madison Library
- Metro Office Building
- South Inglewood Community Center
- Southeast Library Antioch
While the polls will consistently open at 8 a.m., their closing times change based on the day:
Wed, Oct. 16
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Thurs, Oct. 17
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Fri, Oct. 18
8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Sat, Oct. 19
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Mon, Oct. 21
8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Tues, Oct. 22
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wed, Oct. 23
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Thurs, Oct. 24
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Fri, Oct. 25
8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Sat, Oct. 26
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Mon, Oct. 28
8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Tues, Oct. 29
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wed, Oct. 30
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Thurs, Oct. 31
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Voting on Election Day
When are polls open on Election Day?
For a full 12 hours, from 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 7 p.m., you will still be able to vote past closing time.
How do I find my polling place?
Your local election commission should have a place to search for your polling place, if you didn’t receive that information by mail.
Voters in Wilson County and Rutherford County can vote at any of the polling sites.
Additionally, WeGo Bus service offers free rides for Davidson County voters to their polling place on Election Day.
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