First Time Voters

  • You can register to vote onlinein person or by mail. Fill out the form carefully making sure to include all necessary information.

    IMPORTANT: Where you live determines where you vote, so be sure to let the election commission in your county know when you move.

    • To register online, visit https://ovr.govote.tn.gov. Alternatively, you can download GoVoteTN, the free mobile app from the Tennessee Secretary of State. GoVoteTN also lets you keep track of your voter registration status and your voting precinct.
    • To register in person or by mail, complete the Mail-In Application for Voter Registration (Form SS-3010). This form is good for both in-person and mail-in registration. Use a blue or black ink pen and don’t forget questions #1 and #2 as they are easy to overlook. Next, mail your form to your local county election commission. Here is a list to find your local election commissions.

    TIP #1: Students may use their dorm’s street address to register.
    TIP #2: All 17 year-old’s are allowed to register in advance. However, their registration will be held back until the day they turn 18.

  • You should receive your voter registration card within 2-3 weeks. If not, call your county’s election commission.

  • To cast your ballot you will also need to bring a government-issued ID in addition to your voter registration card.

    IMPORTANT NOTICE: You do not need a Real ID to vote.

    • If you do not have a government-issued ID, you can get a free photo ID (see “For Citizens Without Government-Issued Photo IDs”). Identification Licenses for Davidson county residents can be obtain at the Nashville/Downtown Express Station.
    • Student ID cards are not acceptable.
    • ID cards from other states are not acceptable.
    • Here is a useful Photo ID Checklist from the LWVN.
    • You can bring an expired photo ID as long as it was issued by the state of Tennessee or federal government.
    • If you forget your voter ID on Election Day, you are still allowed to vote on a provisional ballot. You then have two business days after Election Day to bring your valid photo ID to your county’s election commission office.
  • To find out which candidates will be on the ballot, check with your local election commission (see Davidson County’s Sample Ballots).

    • Research the candidates running for office, google the platforms of the parties they belong to (e.g., Democrat, Republican, Green, or Libertarian).
    • As a tool for the informed voter, The League of Women Voters Education Fund has launched a dedicaded website (https://www.vote411.org/) to provide non-partisan information to the public for both general and state-specific elections. Prior to every election for voters in Davidson County, LWVN contacts all candidates. Each of them is given the opportunity to state positions on key policy issues.
  • Your first vote!

    • During the “early voting” period you may cast your vote at any polling location within your county.
    • On Election Day you can cast your vote only at your assigned polling location. Your assigned polling loaction is printed on your voter registration card.

    TIP #3: As long as you are in line before the polls close, they will still let you cast your vote, so stick around!
    TIP #4: If for any reason you are turned down at the ballot box, you have the right to demand a provisional ballot.

  • Finally, make sure to keep your registration current. 

    • You do not have to re-register for every election.
    • You do have to re-register if you move to another county or state.
    • To easily keep track of or update your registration download the GoVoteTN app – available for Android, iPhone, and as web-based app.

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