Election Day is a few short weeks away, and for the more than 4.2 million active registered voters in Tennessee, Nov. 5 is the time to make their voices heard. This election year brings more members of a younger generation to the electorate: Gen Z accounts for 41 million eligible voters nationwide, with 8 million aging into the electorate since 2022.
Here’s a first-time voter’s guide to the 2024 election.
Am I registered to vote?
To find out if you are registered to vote in Tennessee, visit the state’s voter registration lookup site. If your registration is in another state, you can check your status by visiting your state’s voter registration lookup page. To vote in Tennessee, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a resident of Tennessee and not a convicted felon. Tennessee’s voter registration deadline for the November election is Monday, Oct. 7. This deadline varies by state.
When can I vote?
Figuring out when you can vote depends on how you plan to vote. Early voting in Tennessee begins Oct. 16 and runs until Oct. 31. If you are requesting an absentee ballot, the deadline to do so in Tennessee is Oct. 29. Regular voting for the state and federal general election will take place on Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Can I still vote if my primary residence is not Tennessee?
The short answer is yes. If you are a college student in Tennessee and you live on campus, your primary residence likely is not in this state. If you are registered to vote elsewhere, you can request an absentee ballot from your state’s election office.
If your primary residence is in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington state or Washington, D.C., your residence has a “vote by mail” program. In this case, if you are a registered voter, you receive a ballot in the mail without the need to apply for an absentee ballot. In essence, everyone in “vote by mail” states votes absentee.
How do I request an absentee ballot?
To request an absentee ballot, you first need to find your state or county absentee ballot request form. Nashville’s can be found at Nashville.gov. In Tennessee, you can return your absentee ballot request form by mail, fax or email. The form does need to be physically signed before being returned to the election commission office.
Once the election office issues an absentee ballot by mail to you, you can vote only by mail. (It is not possible to vote by mail and then vote in person on Election Day.) Further, in Tennessee, first-time voters who register to vote by mail cannot vote by absentee ballot — they must vote in person.
Where do I go to vote in person?
Voting in person requires you to go to your voting precinct. If you live in Nashville, you can find your polling location using this Nashville polling place finder. By plugging in your address, you can choose whether to find a list of precincts for Election Day or for early voting.
With early voting, you are allowed to vote at your preferred early-voting location. However, on Election Day, you must vote at your assigned voting precinct. Casting your vote during early voting also usually means shorter wait times. Find Nashville’s list of 13 early-voting locations, along with their hours, at this link.
Digging into Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s transit referendum, which will be on the ballot in November
What am I voting for in the 2024 election?
There will be much more on the Nov. 5 ballot than just the presidential race. Nashvillians will have the chance to vote for one statewide U.S. Senate seat and one U.S. House seat (Nashville is split between Congressional Districts 5, 6 and 7), as well as state House and Senate seats by district. Elections for city commissioner will take place in Belle Meade, Forest Hills and Goodlettsville. There’s also a vote on a referendum to adopt Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s “Choose How You Move” transit improvement program. Read the Scene’s recent cover story on the transit referendum here.
First-time voters: Your voice deserves to be heard. The discourse surrounding this election season can often be discouraging for young voters — many feel apathetic, or that their vote won’t truly matter. But it’s in state and local elections where real changes are made, and where you can truly feel you are exercising your voice and your vote.
To find out more information on the candidates and issues in this year’s election, read up on the Nashville Banner’s Voter Guide, and stay tuned for extensive coverage from the Scene. To find sample election ballots for Nashville, visit Nashville.gov.
