League of Women Voters of Hendersonville

Guide to Voting in Sumner County, Tennessee

Sumner County Election Commission
355 N. Belvedere Drive, Room 106
Gallatin, TN 37066
Call 452-1456 for voting information or visit the Web site at http://www.votesumnertn.org/home.aspx

REGISTER TO VOTE

You may vote in your county if you are registered. You may register if you are:

• a U.S. citizen
• eighteen years old on or before election day
• a resident of Tennessee
• not a convicted felon or, if convicted, your voting rights were restored by court order or pardon

The last day to register is 30 days before an election. You do not have to declare a political party affiliation to register.  

You may register in person (identification is required), at your County Election Commission Office.

You may also register or obtain a mail-in form at the following locations:

• post office
• library
• city hall
• motor vehicle licensing station
• Department of Human Services
• Department of  Public Health
• Online at http://www.votesumnertn.org/home.aspx

Registered voters will receive a voter registration card that lists the voting precinct and its location. Change of address instructions are on the card.

You must change your address if you move from one location in your county to another location in your county.

You must re-register if you:

• move outside your county.
• have had full voting rights restored by a court order or pardon
• have been purged for any reason.

Voter registration in Tennessee is by county. A registered voter in one county who moves to another county is required to register in the new county.

VOTING

Voting hours will be published. Your voter card or other identification will be required to vote. You may vote early in person at the County Election Commission office beginning 20 days prior to Election Day and ending 5 days prior to Election day.

If You Are Disabled

You may ask for assistance to vote if you are blind, disabled, or illiterate. If disabled, you may be placed on the permanent absentee ballot mailing list. Call the County Election Commission office for guidelines on voting (TCA 2-7-116).

ABSENTEE VOTING

You may apply to vote absentee by mail for any of the following reasons:

• You will be outside the county where you live on election day and during the early voting period
• You are a full time student or his/her     spouse living out of your county
• You are in the armed forces
• You possess a valid Commercial Driver's License
• You are over 65 or are a caregiver

To apply for an absentee ballot by mail:

Write the county election commission where you are registered and request an application for an absentee ballot. If you are a TN registered voter attending college outside your county,  obtain an application from the county election commission where you are registered.

You may request an absentee ballot ninety days prior to the election and not less than 7 days before the election. Ballots must reach the County Election Commission office on or before election day (TCA 2-7-202)

You may request an emergency absentee ballot if, within twenty days before the election, you are unexpectedly hospitalized within your county and will be unable to vote on election day.

You may request an emergency absentee ballot if, within 5 days before the election, you are:

• attending the funeral of a family member outside your county
• summoned to court

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Election Information: http://www.vote411.org/bystateresult.php?state=TN

How to Vote in Tennessee--FAQ, from the League of Women Voters of Tennessee: http://lwv-tn.org/Documents/HowVoteTN.pdf