Voter Guide

Absentee Voting in Tennessee

The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the November 3, 2026 election was Saturday, October 24, 2026. If you already requested one, the return rules are below. Otherwise you can vote early, which is open now, or on Election Day.

Vote early instead

The rule

Tennessee requires an excuse

Key dates for the November 3, 2026 Tennessee general election
WhatWhen
Voter registration deadlineClosed
Absentee ballot request deadlineClosed
Early votingOpen now · last day today through
Election DayIn 5 days

Do I qualify?

Check whether you can vote by mail

You may vote absentee by mail if any one of the reasons the law sets applies to you. Tick the ones that do.

Tick any that apply to you. One is enough.

Your answer

Tick a reason that fits, or “None of these apply to me”. Your answer, what your request must include and where to send it show here.

How

How to request a ballot

  1. Send a written request by October 24, 2026

    Requests may be submitted no earlier than 90 days before the election and no later than 10 days before it. For this election, your county election commission must receive your request by Saturday, October 24, 2026. Note that this is a receipt deadline, not a postmark deadline.

  2. Include everything the state requires

    A request missing any required item is returned to you for correction, which costs days you may not have. Include:

    • Name of the registered voter
    • Address of the voter's residence
    • Voter's Social Security number
    • Voter's date of birth
    • Address to mail the ballot
    • The election in which the voter wishes to participate
    • The reason the voter wishes to vote absentee
    • Voter's signature

    If you are requesting on the basis of a commercial driver license or a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, include a copy of the CDL showing its number or of the TWIC card. The state publishes an absentee ballot request form that captures all of this.

  3. Send it to your county election commission

    By mail or by email. If you email the request, the attached document must contain the required information and your scanned signature. Send it to your own county, not to the state. Find your county election commission.

How to return your ballot

Voters who vote absentee by mail are exempt from the photo ID requirement that applies at early voting sites and Election Day polling places.

Voters with a print disability may request an accessible ballot, and may ask for it to be delivered electronically. Military and overseas voters follow a separate process. Both are covered in the state absentee guide.

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Common questions

Who can vote absentee by mail in Tennessee?

Tennessee requires an excuse. You qualify only if you fall into one of the categories in state law, including being 60 or older, being outside your county for the entire early voting period and all of Election Day, being hospitalized, ill or physically disabled, caring for someone who is, being a full-time student outside your county, serving as an election official, having jury duty, or being a military or overseas voter.

What is the deadline to request an absentee ballot in Tennessee?

Your county election commission must receive your written request no later than Saturday, October 24, 2026, which is 10 days before the election. Requests may be submitted no earlier than 90 days before the election.

How do I return my absentee ballot in Tennessee?

By mail only. The Secretary of State states that hand delivery, including handing your ballot to a poll worker during early voting or on Election Day, is not permitted. Your county election commission must receive the ballot no later than the close of polls on Election Day, so mail it with enough time to arrive.

Do I need a photo ID to vote absentee by mail?

No. Voters who vote absentee by mail are exempt from the photo ID requirement that applies at early voting sites and Election Day polling places.

I registered to vote by mail or online. Can my first vote be absentee?

Generally no. Unless you are on the permanent absentee voting register, are enrolled in the Safe at Home program, or have previously voted in your county of registration, the Secretary of State states that you must appear in person to vote in the first election after you registered by mail or online at GoVoteTN.gov.

More voting information

Sources

Dates on this page were verified against the Tennessee Secretary of State on October 15, 2026. Check the state election calendar.