2-6-601 - Methods of voting at licensed nursing homes. - Tennessee Statutes

2-6-601. Methods of voting at licensed nursing homes.

(a)  In the case of individuals who are full-time residents of any licensed nursing home, home for the aged or similar licensed institution providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, other than a penal institution, in the county of the voter's residence, the county election commission of each county shall send one (1) absentee voting deputy representing the majority party and one (1) absentee voting deputy representing the minority party to the institution for the purpose of processing, assisting the voter who may be entitled to assistance under § 2-6-105 or § 2-6-106, and attesting absentee ballot applications and ballots. Both absentee voting deputies shall attest the voter's ballot. The procedure for voting shall substantially follow the provisions for early voting established by part 1 of this chapter and shall be provided to each facility as described in this subsection (a). The procedure for voting in this section shall be the only method by which individuals may vote in an election if such individuals are full-time residents of any licensed nursing home, home for the aged or similar licensed institution providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, other than a penal institution. Nothing in this section shall in any manner be construed to prohibit an individual from voting during the early voting period at a location established for early voting, or otherwise voting in person on election day at either the commission office, in accordance with the provisions of § 2-3-109(e), or the individual's polling place, if such an individual is a full-time resident in such home or institution and the individual is medically able to go to the commission office, the person's polling place, or a location established for early voting for the purpose of voting. The county election commission may begin the voting at the licensed nursing homes twenty-nine (29) days before an election.

(b)  Each licensed nursing home, assisted care living facility, home for the aged, or similar licensed institution providing relatively permanent domiciliary care shall provide, upon request from the administrator of elections, a list of all the individuals in the licensed institution for the limited purpose of voting the registered voter. This list shall include the names and home addresses of each individual if such address is not the same as the licensed facility. The list shall be requested by the administrator of elections no later than forty (40) days prior to election day for each election and shall be provided promptly by the facility.

[Acts 1997, ch. 558, § 12; 1999, ch. 87, § 1; 1999, ch. 197, § 7; 2004, ch. 480, §§ 7, 8.]