Tennessee: Do you need an ID to vote?
Tennessee requires a government photo ID to vote in person; without one, the vote counts only if ID is shown within two business days.
Accepted IDs include a Tennessee driver license or photo ID card, a U.S. passport, a Tennessee or federal photo employee ID, and a U.S. military photo ID. College student IDs are not accepted. A voter without ID votes a provisional ballot and must bring a valid photo ID to the county election commission office by the second business day after the election. Indigent voters who cannot get ID without paying a fee, and voters with a religious objection to being photographed, may sign an affidavit of identity instead.
Conditions
- Government-issued photo ID
- Without ID: provisional ballot, then show ID by the second business day after the election
What the law says
A person whose name appears on the computerized voter signature list or the electronic poll book and is unable to present valid evidence of identification specified in subsection (c) shall be entitled to vote a provisional ballot under the procedures of this subsection (e) unless such person is eligible to vote pursuant to subsection (f). ... Provisional ballots cast pursuant to this subsection (e) shall only be counted if the voter provides evidence of identification specified in subsection (c) to the administrator of elections or the administrator's designee by the close of business on the second business day after the election.
Sources
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-112 (FindLaw) Mirror of official text · codes.findlaw.com
- Montgomery County Election Commission, Photo ID Law Official · montgomerytn.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Elections
- Phone
- 615-741-7956
- Website
- sos.tn.gov
How bordering states compare
- Alabama Photo ID requiredAlabama requires photo ID; without it, a voter votes provisionally and must show ID by Friday, unless two poll officials identify them.
- Arkansas Photo ID requiredArkansas requires photo ID; a voter without it casts a provisional ballot that counts only if ID is shown by noon the following Monday.
- Georgia Photo ID requiredGeorgia requires photo ID; a voter without it casts a provisional ballot that counts only if ID is shown within three days.
- Kentucky Photo ID requestedKentucky asks for photo ID. A voter without one can sign an impediment affirmation at the polls, show another ID, and vote normally.
- Mississippi Photo ID requiredMississippi requires photo ID at the polls. A voter without one votes an affidavit ballot and has five business days to show ID.
- Missouri Photo ID requestedMissouri asks for photo ID. A voter without one casts a provisional ballot, which counts if it matches the signature on file.
- North Carolina Photo ID requestedNorth Carolina asks for photo ID, but a voter without one can sign an exception form at the polls and have the ballot counted.
- Virginia ID required, non-photo acceptedVirginia asks for ID from a list that includes non-photo documents; voters without one may sign a statement and vote.