Absentee Voting Information
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Forms
Absentee Ballots must be received BY MAIL at the Election Commission office (100 Public Square West Basement Shelbyville, TN 37160) by Election Day in order to be counted.How To Qualify for Absentee Voting
To vote Absentee (by mail), a registered voter must fall under ONE of these categories:
- You are sixty (60) years of age or older.
- You will be outside Bedford County during all hours of early voting and before the polls close on Election Day.
- You are hospitalized, ill, or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote; and/or you have determined it is impossible or unreasonable to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 situation.
- You are a caretaker of a hospitalized, ill or physically disabled person, and/or you have determined it is impossible or unreasonable to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 situation.
- You or your spouse are enrolled as a full-time student outside of Bedford county.
- You reside in a licensed facility, outside of Bedford county, providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, i.e. Nursing Home.
- You are a candidate for office in the election for which you am applying to vote absentee by mail.
- You are observing a religious holiday that prevents me from voting during early voting or on Election Day.
- You will be serving as an election official or a member or employee of the election commission on Election Day
- You will be serving on jury duty in state or federal court.
- You are a voter with a disability and your polling place is inaccessible.
- You have a CDL or TWIC or you are the spouse of a person with a CDL or TWIC and will be out of Bedford county during early voting and Election Day and have no out of the county address to receive mail during this time. You must provide a copy of the CDL or TWIC number in the application.
- You are a member of the military, spouse, or dependent.
- You are an activated National Guard member on state orders.
- You are an overseas citizen and otherwise qualified to vote in TN.
Note: A request to the Election Commission for a ballot may not be processed more than ninety (90) days before an election. The last day to receive a request for an Absentee Ballot is seven (7) days before the election.
Permanent Absentee Voters
To become a Permanent Absentee Voter and automatically have a Request for an Absentee Ballot application sent to you before every election:- Your physician must complete the physician's statement (included in the permanent absentee ballot form) certifying that, in the physician's judgement, you are medically unable to vote in person.
- The physician's statement must be completed no less than seven (7) days before an election.
More Information about Absentee Voting
Read more about Absentee Voting at the Tennessee Secretary of State – Division of Elections websiteYou can also contact our Absentee/Early Voting Department directly at 931-684-0531 or summer.leverette@bedfordcountytn.gov with any questions.
