The Election Commission is considered an essential service, so we are able to issue and accept petitions at both locations. However, we urge citizens who do not need to file petitions to stay home and use our online services at GoVoteTN.com. In order to make sure that our employees stay safe, we have cut our staffing to the minimum.
Election Day is Tuesday, March 3, 2020. The polls will be open from 7am until 7pm. On Election Day, unlike early voting, you must vote in your home precinct.
Please be aware all the candidates listed on your ballot are not still in the race for president. In Tennessee, the ballot was set in December, so anyone who had declared candidacy was included.
On February 14th, County Mayor Lee Harris, along with other local dignitaries, gathered on Nixon Drive for a special occasion. The Ops Center is now known as the O.C. Pleasant Operations Center, in honor of the longest serving commissioner in the Election Commission’s history, O.C. Pleasant, Jr.
Due to the overwhelming number of registration applications we received right before the voter registration deadline, processing on some of the applications have not been fully completed. If you registered to vote and have not gotten a voter registration card or a notice, you will be able to vote, as long as you are not a convicted felon.
We STRONGLY urge you to VOTE EARLY. Our poll workers are ready to help you with correcting any errors on your application and completing your registration, and you can go to a machine to vote.
With the Midterm Elections upon us, we are in full-on election mode. The ballot is being finalized and will be approved at the Commission Meeting on September 18th.
We’ve had some questions from voters who aren’t able to see the whole ballot on their summary screens. If you selected a primary ballot or chose the large type option, the ballot summary will be too long to fit on one screen. It’s something many people have experienced.
The county primaries are behind us and the election results were certified on May 15th. After that, we began working to put things in order in anticipation of the August County General and State Primary Elections. The military and overseas ballots went out on June 18th. As I said in the last newsletter, that’s the official beginning of the election cycle. In this issue, you will see more about what is involved in preparing for the polls to open. It involves a lot more than most people realize.
In less than two months, the Shelby County Primary Election will be held.
At the February monthly meeting of the Shelby County Election Commission, the commissioners certified the candidates that will appear on the May 1st ballot. Shortly after that the official ballot was built, and once ready, it was mailed to all residents serving overseas in the military who requested an absentee ballot.
As more and more people become used to the modern touch screens on phones and tablets, they are having more difficulty using our older voting machines. Please use the attached stylus pen and press the end of it firmly in the middle of the box by your chosen candidate. Watch a short video about it here. And remember, REVIEW your summary screen carefully before pressing the CAST VOTE button.
The deadline to file petitions as independent candidates for county office is Noon Thursday, April 5, 2018. This is also the deadline to file for non-partisan offices like Judge and School Board that will appear on the August 2, 2018 Shelby County General Election. Noon Thursday, April 5, 2018 is also the deadline to file all petitions for State and Federal office - both partisian and independent.