Before you can vote in Tennessee, you've gotta be registered.

If you're not sure if you're registered already, you can check using the link in the description. If you're not registered yet, or you need to update your name or address, you'll need to fill out a registration form.

The only way to register in Tennessee is by mail, which I know is a pain, but you can print off the form online using the link below and mail it in by October 9th if you want to be registered in time for the November general election. Otherwise, you can find a paper application at a public library, a County Election Commission office, or a County Clerk's office if you don't have access to a printer. Once you register, you get to vote.

In certain situations, you can vote absentee by mail, like if you will be out of state on election day, if you are over 60, or you have an illness, disability, or religious belief that prevents you from going to the polls. If any of those apply to you, you'll need fill out the absentee ballot request form linked in the description and mail to your county's election commissioner. A link to all their contact information is in the description.

You can request your ballot any time between now and October 30th, but the sooner you get your request in, the longer you will have to look it over, research candidates, and vote before you send it in by November 6th. For everyone else, if you want to vote early, you'll need to do it in person. From October 17th to November 1st, any registered voter can skip the election day lines and vote at a county election commission office or satellite voting location.

The hours and locations vary by county, so check your county's elections website before you go. You can also find out more about voting early on Tennessee's voter information app. It's called GoVoteTN and it's a good resource to find your polling places and times as well as a sample ballot, and there's a link in the description to where you can download it.

If you really want to vote in person on November 6th, you can find out where you need to go to vote in the app or using the link in the description. Polls are open from 7am to 7pm if you live in the central time part of Tennessee, 8am to 8pm if you're in eastern time. You'll need to bring a photo ID with you, like a Tennessee driver's license, state.

ID, military ID, handgun carry permit, or passport. If you don't have any of those, you can get a free voter ID at a Driver Services Center--there's a link to more info on getting a voter ID below. I also suggest you check your County Election Commission's website or the GoVoteTN app to look at a sample ballot that tells you everything you'll be able to vote for.

You don't have to vote for every single item on the ballot--you can leave things blank if you want to--but your local elections can be pretty important, so it's worth checking out what's on there ahead of time. You can even print it out and bring it to the polls with you so you don't forget how you wanted to vote. The best thing to do if you want to vote in the midterms is to make a plan to vote right now—from what day you're going to register to whether you going to vote in person or absentee.

What kind of ID you're going to use, and where it is, even what time you're going to vote and how you're going to get there—Write it down, put it in your notes app, text it to your friend, just make a plan so that nothing unexpected stops you from being counted on November 6th. All the links you need to check your registration, vote early and find your polling location are in the description. Thank you for voting.