Hello Tennessee!

If you’re watching this then I assume you want to vote! 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. If you have a Tennessee driver’s license or state ID you can register online at the link in the description, but if you don’t have a Tennessee ID you can still register by mail.

You just print off the form using the link below and mail it to your county’s board of elections by October 5th. 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, 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 to fill out the absentee ballot request form linked in the description and mail it to your county’s election commissioner. A link to all their contact information is in the description. You can request your ballot any time before October 27th, but the sooner you get your request in, the longer you'll have to look it over, fill it out, and send it back before November 3rd.

For everyone else, if you want to vote early, you’ll need to do it in person. From October 14th to the 29th, any registered voter can 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.

If you want to vote on election day on November 3rd, you can find out where you need to go to vote 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 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 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 take a screenshot or 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 this year is to make a plan to vote right now— from what day you’re gonna register to whether you are gonna 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 3rd. All the links you need to check your registration, vote early and find your polling location are in the description.

Thanks for being a voter. How To Vote in Every State is produced by Complexly in partnership with The MediaWise Voter Project, which is led by The Poynter Institute and supported by Facebook.