You need an ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. We need your signature on file there to sign your application.
If you do not know your Department of Safety and Homeland Security ID number, do not worry. We will use the other information you enter to download your signature.
What is a vital record?
Vital records document significant life events. Vital records include:
Marriage Certificates
Divorce Certificates
Birth Certificates
Death Certificates
Is the deadline for online voter registration the same as the deadline for registering by other means?
Yes. Normally, you must register at least 30 days before Election Day. You can check upcoming deadlines on the election calendar.
Will online voter registration update my name or address with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security?
No. Learn more about updating your record with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security here.
How do I sign the online voter registration application?
We will use your signature from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
Where can I request a vital record?
The Tennessee Health Department’s Office of Vital Records reviews, registers, amends, issues and maintains the original certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces that occur in Tennessee in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated.
Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243
Can I complete the online voter registration application on an iPad, tablet or smartphone?
Yes. The system is optimized to work on mobile devices.
What is a Public Record?
“Public record or records’ or ‘state record or records’ means all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, microfilms, electronic data processing files and output, films, sound recordings, or other material, regardless of physical form or characteristics made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any governmental agency.” T.C.A. § 10-7-301(6)
The test for determining whether a record is public is “whether it was made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any governmental agency.” Griffin v. City of Knoxville, 821 S.W. 2d 921, 924 (Tenn. 1991).
I got married and changed my last name. Do I need to reregister under my new name?
You do not have to re-register, but please go ahead and update your existing registration. Updating your name now keeps the rolls accurate and reduces the amount of paperwork you will have to fill out when you go vote.
Can I update my voter registration information through the online voter registration application?
Yes, you can use the system to update your name or address.
How do I get the books?
All special library materials--books, magazines and playback equipment--are circulated through the mail postage free. Patrons must borrow books each year to remain eligible for the service.
How do I start the service?
You must first complete an application for service and send it to the Tennessee library. All states provide the service for their residents.
How do I know what titles are available?
Bimonthly magazines will tell you about newly released books and related library services: Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review. You may also order general catalogs. You can always call the library to ask about authors and titles. The National Library Service catalog is searchable online.
Can Non-resident Property Owners Register to Vote?
Otherwise qualified voters who own real property within a municipality in which they do not live may register to vote if the municipal charter extends the right to vote to non-resident property owners. Non-resident property owners must provide proof of property ownership at the time of registration. Consult local election commission offices for further information or the city attorney of the municipality in which property is owned. T.C.A. 2-2-107.
How do I play the talking books?
Special playback equipment is loaned to patrons who use the library service. Books and magazines in the TLABM collection are recorded at a slower speed than conventional recordings and the books require special players. Players are mailed to patrons postage free. The library repairs and replaces equipment as necessary. For patrons who wish to purchase their own equipment, a vendor list is available.
What is the Records Management Division?
The Records Management Division (RMD) was established by Tennessee Code Annotated 10-7-303 to assist state agencies in establishing systematic controls for the efficient use and sound preservation of state records. The Division serves as the primary records management agency for the state of Tennessee and provides professional consultative and analytical records management leadership to agencies. This guidance aids in the appropriate development, utilization, disposition, retention, and destruction of records.
The Records Management Division is further directed by the Public Records Commission (PRC) to serve as administrative liaison between state agencies and the PRC; to establish procedural guidelines for paper and electronic records oversight and retention; and to coordinate efforts supporting the state's Paperwork Reduction and Simplification Act of 1976 (TCA 4-25-101).
What is the Records Disposition Authorizations process?
Records Disposition Authorizations (RDAs) are record retention guides state agencies follow to maintain their records properly. The Records Management Division oversees the records management process. The Secretary of State’s office online RDA filing system provides users with an easy way to filter, search, and find RDAs and provides retention and destruction method information. Click here to search all effective RDAs.
What is provided?
The library service loans recorded, large print and braille books and magazines, music scores in large print and braille and special playback equipment. The TLABM book collection of over 50,000 titles includes popular fiction and nonfiction, best sellers, classics, history, biographies, religious literature, children's books and books in foreign language. There are over 70 popular magazines available. Go to Available Materials to find out more.
I moved from a different state. Am I allowed to register to vote in Tennessee?
Yes. Learn more about the qualifications to register here.
Will I be notified if my online voter registration has been received and is accepted?
Yes. Your county election commission will mail you a voter registration card when they have accepted your application. This can take up to three weeks.
Can I vote online?
No. You can vote in person during early voting or on Election Day, or you can absentee vote by mail if you meet certain requirements.
Where do homeless persons register to vote?
In order to register to vote in Tennessee, a person does not have to live in a building. Instead, a person who finds himself or herself homeless must describe where the person usually stays or returns to when absent. This location may be the address of a shelter where the person stays or frequents, or it may be the description of a street corner where the person may often rest. A physical description of the location must be given so that the election commission knows in which voting precinct to place the person. T.C.A. 2-2-122.
The election commission must mail voter registration cards to people who register to vote by mail. Therefore, if a homeless person tries to register to vote by mail using an address where the person does not get the mail, the person will have to give a mailing address where he or she can receive mail. For example, a homeless voter may be able to use a shelter as a mailing address or the address of a family member or friend who agrees to receive the mail. Another option is to use General Delivery as a mailing address. However, please note that absentee ballot materials may not be mailed to “general delivery.” T.C.A. 2-2-115 and T.C.A. 2-6-202.
If the voter registration card is returned as undeliverable to the election commission, the voter will be mailed a confirmation notice and placed on inactive status. T.C.A. 2-2-115.
In addition, like all registered voters, a homeless person should let the county election commission know when there are any changes to the mailing address or address where the person is registered to vote.
Who do I contact when making a public records request
State agencies are required by law, T.C.A 10-7-503(a)(2)(B), to have a designated Public Records Request Coordinator. This person is the designated contact for receiving public records requests. Contact the appropriate agency’s coordinator to request access to that agency’s records. If you have further questions or need additional assistance, contact: Office of Open Records Counsel
To determine if you are a registered voter and view your early vote location(s) or your polling location on Election Day, use our Voter Registration Lookup or use the GoVoteTN app. If no record is found, contact your local county election commission to determine the status of your registration.
Can I register to vote online if I do not have an ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security?
You will not be able to register online since we will not be able to download your signature.
You can still register to vote by filling out a paper form. Remember that you will need a federal or Tennessee government-issued photo ID when you vote in person.
Where can I find the online voter registration application?
You can access the online voter registration system here.