May 4, 2020
By:
Election officials locally and across the state are gearing up for an increase in absentee voting due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 virus.
“Traditionally less than three (3) percent of DeKalb voters cast their ballot by mail, but we are anticipating an increase in that number, both for the August and certainly the November election,” said DeKalb County Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley. “With health concerns on their mind, now is the time to remind voters of the eligibility requirements and certain dates relating to absentee voting.”
The first day the election office can receive a written request for an absentee ballot for the August election is Friday, May 8th. “Requests received before Friday will be rejected,” Stanley said. The last day to request an absentee ballot is July 30.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ABSENTEE BY-MAIL IN TENNESSEE?
In Tennessee, in order to vote absentee by-mail, a voter must have a qualifying reason. The following categories describe the voters who can abesnetee vote by-mail:
1. The voter will be outside the county of registration during the early voting period and all of Election Day;
2. The voter or the voter’s spouse is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county of registration;
3. The voter’s licensed physician has filed a statement with the county election commission stating that, in the physician’s judgment, the voter is medically unable to vote in person. The statement must be filed not less than seven (7) days before the election and signed under the penalty of perjury;
4. The voter resides in a licensed facility providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, other than a penal institution, outside the voter’s county of residence;
5. The voter will be unable to vote in person due to service as a juror for a federal or state court;
6. The voter is sixty (60) years of age or older;
7. The voter has a physical disability and the voter’s polling place is inaccessible
8. The voter is hospitalized, ill, or physically disabled because of such condition, cannot vote in person (A person who is quarantined because of a potential exposure or who has tested positive for COVID-19 should vote absentee by-mail as a person who is ill);
9. The voter is a caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill or disabled;
10. The voter is a candidate for office in the election;
11. The voter serves as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election commission;
12. The voter’s observance of a religious holiday prevents him/her from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day;
13. The voter or the voter’s spouse possesses a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) or the voter possesses a valid Tennessee Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and certifies that he/she will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day and has no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time;
14. The voter is a member of the military or is an overseas citizen.
“We know a lot of voters will take advantage of the fact that if they are 60 years of age or over they are eligible to vote absentee,” Stanley said. “We’re getting ready for that.”
In addition, Stanley reminded first time voters there is another stipulation regarding absentee by-mail voting.
“If a person is a first-time voter who registered by mail, they are not eligible to vote absentee unless they convert their registration to in person by presenting a valid photo ID in-person to the county election office before the July 30 deadline.” he said.
MAKING THE REQUEST
A registered voter may request an absentee ballot by: mail, fax and email. The request MUST INCLUDE the voter’s signature. In addition, the request MUST INCLUDE the following EIGHT (8) items:
1. The name of the registered voter;
2. The address of the voter’s residence;
3. The voter’s Date of birth;
4. The voter’s Social Security number;
5. The address to mail the ballot outside the county (this applies only when the reason for voting by mail involves that the voter will be outside of the county during early voting and on election day);
6. The election the voter wishes to participate in. If the election involves a Primary, the political party in which the voter wishes to participate;
7. The reason the voter wishes to vote absentee;
8. The voter’s signature. (If the voter is unable to sign his/her name, contact the Election Commission office for details.)
A printable request form can be found on the local election commission website at www.dekalbelections.com.
As stated above, the request can be mailed to; DeKalb Election Office, P.O. Box 543, Smithville, TN 37166; emailed to dekalbelections@dtccom.net or dekalb.commission@tn.gov; or faxed to 615-597-7799.
“Voters are encouraged to get their requests in as soon as possible,” Stanley said, and upon receiving a ballot, returning it as soon as possible.
“Remember, the actual ballot must be mailed to the above address. The actual ballots cannot be hand-delivered to our office,” he concluded.