Vote by mail
Who can vote by mail
You can vote absentee by-mail if you fall under one of the following categories:
-You are sixty (60) years of age or older.
- You will be outside the county where you are registered during the early voting period and all day on Election Day.
- You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote (this includes person who have underlying medical or health condition which in their determination render them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 or at greater risk should they contract it). For a list of underlying health conditions that makes a person more susceptible, see this information from the CDC. A physician's statement is not required to check this box.
- You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled (this includes caretakers for persons who have underlying medical or health conditions which in their determination render them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 or at greater risk should they contract it). For a list of underlying health conditions that makes a person more susceptible, see this information from the CDC. A physician's statement is not required to check this box.
-You or your spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county where you are registered.
-You reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside your county of residence.
- You are a candidate for office in the election.
- You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day.
- You serve as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election commission.
- You will be unable to vote in-person due to jury duty.
- You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place.
- You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and you will be working outside the county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day and have no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.
- You are on the permanent absentee list.
For more information, you may visit the State of Tennessee, Elections Division website.
How the vote-by-mail process works
Requesting a ballot
You can request a ballot no more than (90) days and no less than (7) days before an election.
To find an an Absentee Ballot Request Form, click here and go to the State of TN website and look at the #2 option. You can request a mail ballot you can mail, fax or email the Hardeman County Election Commission the Tennessee Request for Absentee Ballot Form or a document with the following information:
- Your name
- Your address
- Your social security number
- Your date of birth
- The address to mail the ballot outside the county, if you will be outside of the county during early voting and on election day
- The election in which you wish to participate. If the election involves a primary, the political party in which you wish to participate.
- Reason the you wish to vote absentee. If applicable, a copy of the your Commercial Drivers License (CDL) containing the CDL number or the Transportation Worker Identification Credential card must be included in your request.
- Your signature
A request that contains this information will be processed by the Hardeman County Election Commission and a ballot will be mailed to you.
NOTE: You may have anyone your request for vote by mail application and ballot, but you must sign or make a mark where required.
Voting a mail ballot
- Use a black or blue ink pen to mark your choices on the ballot.
- To vote for your choice in each contest, completely fill in the box provided to the left of your choice.
- To vote for a write-in candidate, completely fill in the box provided to the left of the words “Write-In” and write in the name of the candidate on the line provided.
- Each ballot will contain a barcode and watermark which will tell the computer which precinct, which party primary and which election this ballot has been printed for.
- By-Mail ballots will be counted by a high-speed scanner.
Voters unable to write their signature or make a mark
You may have assistance voting if you have a disability and you cannot write a signature or make a mark where required. The action of the person who offers assistance shall be witnessed by one additional person. Both the person giving assistance and the witness shall sign their names and provide their addresses.
Getting on the Permanent Disabled Mailing List
To be placed on our permanent absentee mailing list you must have a “Physician’s Statement” completed by you doctor.
Click here to print the Physician’s Statement.
Once our office receives the document we will place the voter on the “Permanently Disabled List” which means:
- For each election that the you are eligible to vote in, we will automatically mail you an application for a mail ballot.
- If you wish to vote in the election, you will complete the application and mail, fax or hand-deliver it back to our office.
- We will then mail you a mail a ballot.
- NOTE: Being on the permanent disabled list only guarantees that you will be automatically sent an application for a ballot, not the actual ballot.
You can send a request for a mail ballot to:
Hardeman County Election Commission
106 S. Porter St.
P.O. Box 12
Bolivar, TN 38008-0012
Phone: 731-658-4751
Fax 731-659-2363
What's on the ballot