Early Voting – Early voting begins 20 days before each election and ends five days before each election. During early voting, you may vote at any early voting location. Hours may vary, so please check. You can find the dates and times for early voting under the elections tab or on our events calendar.
Election Day Voting – On Election Day, you must vote only at your assigned polling place. The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. If you have moved, make sure you are at the correct polling place for your current address. To find your polling site, click here.
The purpose of a primary election is for political parties to select their candidates to run in the general election. Primary elections are also used to pick convention delegates and party leaders. In order to vote in a primary, you must pick a party. The party you choose applies only to that election. Voters do not select a party when they register to vote. The winners of each party’s primary election will advance to the general election. Voters in the primary will receive different ballots depending upon which party they select. Voters may select only one party in the primary election.
Unlike some states, voters in Tennessee do not select a party when they register to vote. This is known as an open primary. An open primary is a primary election in which a voter does not formally affiliate with a political party in order to vote in its primary. They simply declare their affiliation with a party at the polls.
When you arrive at the polls, you will need to show the poll worker a photo ID. The worker will check you in. If it is a primary election, they will ask you what party you have selected. Then a ballot application will print and a ballot card with a QR code for your correct precinct split will generate. You will sign the ballot application.
If you want to mark your ballot by machine, you will go to the Signature Table and sign the signature list. A poll worker will keep your ballot application and direct you to a machine.
Insert your ballot card into the machine, putting the notched corner up and to the right. Follow directions on the screen. Vote for the candidates of your choice. If you don’t want to vote in a particular race, skip it.
When you are finished, a summary page will come up. Review your choices. If you are happy with your choices, then press the “Cast Ballot” button. The ballot card will pop out.
If you want to use a hand marked paper ballot, you will take your application and ballot card over to the Hand Marked Ballot Table, where you will sign the signature list. A poll worker will issue you a ballot secrecy folder and a ballot you can mark by hand and record your ballot stub number. You will then go to a table with a privacy shield and mark your ballot. After marking your ballot, you will return to the Hand Marked Ballot Table, where the poll worker will remove the stub from your ballot.
The next step is the same for all voters. You will take your ballot over to the scanner and insert either your machine marked or your hand marked ballot into the scanner. After a moment, you will see a screen that says “Thank you for voting!” and your ballot has dropped into a secure ballot box.
Collect your “I Voted” sticker and be proud that you participated in our Democracy.
