Election Laws

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included a claim about reducing the period from 15 days to seven days which is inaccurate according to the bill text. The bill reduces the period to between five and twelve days for regular elections.

Changes to Early Voting Period

This bill changes Tennessee's early voting period from up to twelve days before an election to five to seven days for most elections and up to fourteen days for presidential preference primaries.

What This Bill Does

• Reduces the early voting period for regular elections to a minimum of five days and maximum of seven days before Election Day.
• Limits the early voting period for presidential preference primaries to a maximum of fourteen days, but still requires at least seven days.
• Requires voters to sign an application for a ballot when they vote early.

Who It Names or Affects

• Voters who want to cast their ballots before Election Day
• County election commissions responsible for setting up and managing early voting

Terms To Know

Early Voting

The period when voters can vote in person at designated locations before the official Election Day.

Presidential Preference Primary

An election where voters choose their preferred candidate for president within a political party.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided to support the changes in early voting periods.
• It is unclear if there are any exceptions or additional requirements beyond what is stated in the bill.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2583
By Crowe

HOUSE BILL 2615
By Hill
HB2615
011318
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-6-102(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting instead:
(1) A voter who desires to vote early shall go to the county election commission
office or another polling place appropriately designated by the county election
commission within the posted hours not more than twelve (12) days nor less than five (5)
days before the day of the election. A voter desiring to vote in the early voting period
shall sign an application for a ballot.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-6-102(c), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting instead:
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(1), when a presidential preference primary is
held or an election is held at the same time as a presidential preference primary, a voter
who desires to vote early for such elections shall go to the county election commission
office within the posted hours not more than fourteen (14) days nor less than seven (7)
days before the day of the election. This subsection (c) shall not apply to voting
pursuant to § 2-6-601.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.