Election Laws

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Setting Uniform Early Voting Hours

This bill requires county election commissions to set the same opening and closing times for every early voting polling place on a single day.

What This Bill Does

• Requires county election commissions to set uniform hours for each polling place used for early voting such that each polling place opens and closes at the same time on a single day.

Who It Names or Affects

• County election commissions in Tennessee
• Voters who use early voting polling places

Terms To Know

Early Voting

The period before an election when people can vote at designated locations.

Polling Place

A place where voters go to cast their ballots on Election Day or during early voting.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify the exact hours that polling places must open and close.
• The bill does not address how uniform hours will be decided by county election commissions.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 412
By Yarbro

HOUSE BILL 538
By Dixie

HB0538
002159
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
relative to elections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-6-103, is amended by adding the
following as new subsection:
(d) County election commissions shall set uniform hours for each polling place
used for early voting such that each polling place opens and closes at the same time on
a single day. Open hours may vary by day so long as all polling places open on a
particular day have uniform hours.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.