Election Laws

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide specific details on the exact hours for polling places or the amount of additional funding required, which are noted as limits and unknowns.

Setting Uniform Early Voting Hours

This bill requires county election commissions to set the same opening and closing hours for all polling places used for early voting on each day.

What This Bill Does

• Requires county election commissions to make sure that every polling place opens and closes at the same time during early voting days.
• Allows different hours for different days of early voting, but requires uniform hours within a single day.

Who It Names or Affects

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

Terms To Know

Polling place

A location where people go to vote on Election Day or during early voting.

Early voting

The period before an election when voters can cast their ballots at designated locations.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify the exact hours that polling places must open and close.
• Requires local governments to fund any additional costs, but does not detail how much extra funding will be needed.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 538
By Dixie

SENATE BILL 412
By Yarbro

SB0412
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.