2-7-140 - Procedures for certain inactive voters. - Tennessee Statutes

2-7-140. Procedures for certain inactive voters.

(a)  Voters whose registration is in inactive status because of a failure to respond to a confirmation notice described in § 2-2-106(c) and voters who have changed their address of residence to a new address within the county of registration shall be required to vote under the procedures of this section.

(b)  An inactive voter who has not moved or any registered voter of the county who has changed residence to a new address within the same voting precinct shall be required to make a written affirmation of such voter's current address and that the voter is entitled to vote before voting. This affirmation shall be made on a standard form provided by the county election commission and shall be made before the officer of elections at the voter's polling place or the appropriate election official at an early voting site. The voter may then vote using the same method as any other voter at the polling place.

(c)  A registered voter of the county who has changed residence to a new address within the county of registration but outside such voter's former voting precinct shall be required to make a written affirmation of the voter's current address and that the voter is entitled to vote before voting;

     (1)  If a voter under this subsection (c) appears at an early voting location and makes the proper affirmation, the election official shall allow the voter to vote the ballot for the voter's new precinct of residence using the same method as any other voter at the polling place;

     (2)  (A)  If a voter under this subsection (c) appears at such voter's former polling place, the voter cannot cast any ballot at that location. An election official shall make a determination of the voter's new polling place and inform the voter of the appropriate place to vote. The voter shall be required to make a written affirmation of the voter's current address and that the voter is entitled to vote. The official at the voter's former polling location shall indicate on the affirmation that the person has not been allowed to vote at that location and shall give the voter a copy of the form to take to such voter's new polling location. Upon presenting that affirmation at the new polling location and verification that the new address is within that precinct, the voter shall be allowed to vote using the same method as any other voter at the polling place;

          (B)  A county election commission may establish a centrally located site or sites to be designated by such commission for voters voting under this subdivision (c)(2);

          (C)  If a county election commission elects to establish a centrally located site or sites, then the official at such former polling location shall notify the voter that the voter has the option to vote either at the new polling place or at the centrally located site or sites. If a central location is other than the county election commission office, then such centrally located site shall be equipped with computer capabilities linked to the county election commission office to allow the voter's records to be changed or corrected in the same manner as if the voter were to appear at the county election commission office on election day in order that the voter may cast the appropriate ballot;

     (3)  If a voter under this subsection (c) appears at a polling location where the voter is not currently registered, and does not have a copy of the form described in subdivision (c)(2), the election official shall make a determination as to whether that voter's new address is within the voting precinct for that polling location. If the voter now resides in that precinct, the voter shall be required to make a written affirmation of the voter's current address and that the voter is entitled to vote. The fact that this person is a registered voter must be confirmed by the county election commission before this person's vote is counted.

(d)  If a voter described in subsection (a) applies for an absentee ballot, the voter shall fill out the appropriate portion of the absentee application to affirm the voter's address and that the voter is entitled to vote. This affirmation would not have to be made in front of an election official. Upon receiving a proper application, the administrator of elections shall send the voter a ballot for the precinct where the voter now resides and update the registration based upon the affirmation as necessary.

[Acts 1997, ch. 550, § 2; 2003, ch. 307, § 1.]