Do I have to vote for every candidate or issue on the ballot?
No
Can poll workers explain charter amendments?
No. Voters need to research their ballots before they vote.
Can I use my Ohio driver’s license as ID to vote in Tennessee?
No. To vote in Tennessee, use a Tennessee government-issued or federal government-issued identification. College IDs are not acceptable.
How is voting touchless? (Applies in Davidson County but may not apply in other counties)
In Davidson County, voters receive a plastic coffee stir stick – yes, the little red ones – to touch the screen and make their choices. It works just fine.
Do I have to wear a mask?
Statewide, masks are encouraged but not required. Counties with their own health departments can set their own rules on masks. Gov. Bill Lee might extend an executive order allowing other counties the flexibility to require masks.
Can I wear my candidate hat?
No, and you can’t wear any other candidate attire as well. The Davidson County election commission says campaign clothing must be removed or hidden within 100 feet of the entrance to the polling place.
What if I’m really running late on Election Day?
As long as a voter shows up and is in line by the time the polls close (7 p.m. CST, 8 p.m. EST) they are entitled to vote. So stay in line and wait. It hasn’t been unusual in past presidential election years for the polls to be open a half-hour after the official closing time to enable those in line at closing time to vote.
Absentee ballots
You can see if your absentee ballot has been received at https://tnmap.tn.gov/voterlookup/
Poll Problems
If you have questions or problems at the polls, talk to a local election official on the premises. Photograph or record what is happening if possible. Or call one of these numbers:
• Tennessee Division of Elections in the Department of State’s toll-free Election Day hotline at 1-877-850-4959 to report possible voter fraud, misinformation or get answers to Election Day questions.
• Davidson County Election Commission, 615 862-8800.
• Hamilton County Election Commission, 423 209-8683.
• Knox County Election Commission, 865 215-2480
• League of Women Voters: This nonpartisan group suggests calling 1-866-OUR-VOTE, a hotline run by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
• Local and state political parties may also offer phone numbers to call.
In case of the unexpected
Finally, sometimes the truly unpredictable happens, as it did when tornadoes struck the state in March. Here are websites and social media channels for the Secretary of State’s office and for local election commissions:
• Secretary of State: sos.tn.gov; Twitter, @SecTreHargett; Facebook, Tennessee Secretary of State; and Instagram, @tnsecofstate.
• Davidson County Election Commission: nashville.gov/Election-Commission.aspx; Twitter, @DavidsonVotes; Facebook, @davidsoncountyelections
• Knox County Election Commission: knoxcounty.org/election/; Twitter, @knoxvotes; Facebook, Knox County Election Commission
• Hamilton County Election Commission: elect.hamiltontn.gov; Twitter, @VoteHamiltonTN; Facebook, @hamcoec