“County election commissions are accepting absentee by-mail requests now for the Aug. 4 election,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “If you meet one of the reasons under Tennessee state law to vote absentee by-mail and plan to do so, I encourage you to request and return your ballot early to ensure you meet the upcoming deadlines.”

 

Voters must meet one of the 14 reasons under Tennessee law to vote absentee by-mail. One of the most common reasons is being 60 years or older. Other reasons include being outside the county where you are registered during early voting and on Election Day or being hospitalized, ill or physically disabled. For the complete list of legal reasons to vote absentee by-mail see the Guide to Absentee Voting on sos.tn.gov/elections.

 

To receive an absentee by-mail ballot, voters must submit a written request to their local election commission by mail, fax or email. Voters can find the contact information for their county election commission on the Secretary of State’s website, tnsos.org/elections/election_commissions.php. 

 

Instructions for requesting an absentee by-mail ballot and a printable absentee by-mail ballot application are available in the Guide to Absentee Voting on sos.tn.gov/elections. Voters submitting their request by email must attach a scanned copy of their signature.

 

For the August election, voters casting their ballot absentee by-mail must also request either a Republican or Democratic primary ballot in order to cast a ballot in a primary election. You will only receive the general election ballot if a party is not specified.

 

Completed absentee by-mail ballots must be returned by mail to your local county election commission. Ballots must be received before the polls close on Election Day, Thursday, Aug. 4. Voters must provide proper postage to return their ballot. Please consult with your county election commission or the U.S. Postal Service to determine the postage needed.

 

Tennessee voters can easily and securely track the status of their absentee by-mail ballot using the Secretary of State’s Absentee By-Mail Ballot Status Tracker tool. Through this tool, voters can track their absentee by-mail ballot’s status, starting when the county election commission mails your ballot to you and ending when the county election commission has received your completed ballot. Visit the Absentee By-Mail Ballot Status Tracker at tnmap.tn.gov/voterlookup/.

 

For the latest information on the Aug. 4 election, follow the Secretary of State’s social media channels Twitter: @SecTreHargett, Facebook: Tennessee Secretary of State and Instagram: @tnsecofstate.

 

For more information about voting absentee by-mail or tracking your ballot, go to GoVoteTN.gov, contact your local county election commission or call the Division of Elections toll-free at 1-877-850-4959.