Everything You Need to Know About Voting in Tennessee

Everything You Need to Know About Voting in Tennessee

Wednesday, October 14th, 2026

Early voting in Tennessee runs Wednesday, October 14th through Thursday, October 29th, and your Tennessee handgun carry permit with your photo counts as voter ID, even if it’s expired. Here’s every way to vote, every deadline, and three things every gun owner can do before November 3rd.

FIND YOUR VOTING LOCATION

Can’t see the button? Find your early voting location with the state here.

Early voting starts Wednesday, Oct. 14

Your carry permit is your voter ID.

Early voting in Tennessee starts
Wednesday, October 14th, and runs through
Thursday, October 29th. That’s more than two weeks to
cast your ballot on your own schedule, at an early voting site in your
county.

And here’s one for the gun owners.
Tennessee requires a photo ID to vote in person, and your
Tennessee handgun carry permit with your photo counts, even if it’s
expired.
The same card you carry with your gun gets you in to
vote.

This election matters for gun owners.
The politicians elected on November 3rd will decide what happens to
your gun rights, here in Tennessee and in Congress. There are also
three proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution on the ballot,
covering bail, a ban on a state property tax, and crime victims’
rights, so read your whole ballot before you’re done.

Every way to vote, and every deadline

1.
Check your registration

Registration for this election closed
October 5th. You can still confirm you’re registered, and find your
early voting and Election Day locations, with the state’s
voter lookup
.

2. Vote
early in person: Wednesday, October 14th through Thursday, October
29th

Each county sets its own early voting
sites and hours, so look
up yours
before you go.

3.
Absentee by mail: excuse required, request received by Saturday,
October 24th

Voting by mail in Tennessee takes a
reason from the state’s list. Being 60 or older is one of them, and so
is being out of your county for all of early voting and Election Day.
Your written request, by mail or email, has to reach your county
election commission by Saturday, October 24th. Read
the state’s absentee voting guide
. Your ballot has to come
back by mail and be received by the time polls close on Election
Day.
You can’t bring it in by hand.

4. Vote
on Election Day: Tuesday, November 3rd

Polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m.
Central. Opening times vary by county. If you’re in line when the
polls close, you still get to vote.

5.
Bring a photo ID. Your carry permit counts.

Your Tennessee handgun carry permit with your
photo counts, even if it’s expired. So does a Tennessee driver’s
license or another federal or Tennessee photo ID. Photo IDs from other
states don’t count. One catch: if you’re a first-time voter who
registered by mail or online and your ID is expired, also bring a
utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other
government document with your name and address. Voting absentee by
mail? You don’t need ID for that.

Three things I’m asking you to do

Step 1: Vote early.
Look up your county’s early voting sites and hours, pick your day, and
put it on the calendar.

FIND
YOUR VOTING LOCATION

Or look
up your voting location with the state
.

Step 2: Talk to three gun
owners.
Think of three gun owners you know: a hunting buddy,
somebody from the range, the guy behind the counter at your gun shop.
Ask them three things. When are you voting early? Did you know your
carry permit counts as voter ID? Did you know there are three
constitutional amendments on the ballot? Better yet, pick a day and go
vote together.

Step 3: Support TGO.
Tennessee Gun Owners is in this election because gun owners like you
make it possible. If you can, chip
in $25 to support Tennessee Gun Owners
and help us get these dates
in front of every gun owner in the state.

Don’t wait for November 3rd

Election Day lines get long, and life
gets in the way. A ballot you cast early is one less thing that can go
wrong.

Early voting is open now.
Grab your carry permit, go vote pro-gun, and take three gun owners
with you.

For Freedom,
Rob Knisley
Rob
Knisley

Political Director
Tennessee Gun Owners

P.S. Early voting runs Wednesday, October
14th through Thursday, October 29th. Bring a photo ID. Your Tennessee
handgun carry permit with your photo counts, even if it’s expired.
Then take three gun owners with you. Find
your early voting location
.

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