Secretary of State Tre Hargett urges voters to take advantage of early voting
Early voting for the Tennessee state and federal primary and county general election begins Friday, July 17, and runs Monday to Saturday until Saturday, Aug. 1. Election Day is Thursday, Aug. 6.
“The safety of voters and poll officials are our top priority,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “With social-distancing measures and many other safety precautions in place for this election, I urge voters to take advantage of Tennessee’s generous early voting period.”
Early voting provides Tennesseans the opportunity to avoid Election Day crowds and can shorten the wait time. Early voting also offers the flexibility of evenings and Saturdays along with multiple polling locations in many counties.
During early voting and on Election Day, Tennesseans are encouraged to do their part. This includes wearing a face covering and maintaining a six-foot distance from poll officials and other voters. Voters should expect to see signs with further safety instructions at their polling locations. All poll officials will be wearing face coverings and will be trained to follow social distancing.
“County election commissions have been planning for a safe and secure election for months,” said Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins. “As part of our commitment to safety, the state is providing masks, social-distancing resources, gloves, gowns and face shields for poll officials.”
Tennesseans can find early voting and Election Day polling locations, view and mark sample ballots and much more with the GoVoteTN app or online at GoVoteTN.com. Voters may download the GoVoteTN app for free in the App Store or Google Play. Reviewing a sample ballot and deciding how to vote can reduce a voter’s time at the polls.
Voters who have moved within the county or have had a name change since the last time they voted can update their registrations online at GoVoteTN.com. By making sure registration is up to date, voters can shorten the time they need to spend at polling locations.
Tennesseans voting early or on Election Day should remember to bring valid photo identification with them. A driver’s license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, by Tennessee state government or by the federal government are acceptable even if expired. College student IDs are not acceptable.
More information about what types of ID are acceptable can be found on GoVoteTN.com or by calling the Division of Elections toll-free 877-850-4959.