Tennessee voters now have an online registration option

The secretary of state’s office is set to officially roll out its new online voter registration system in Tennessee.

The new system is already available online but the office will officially announce it next week. The move will put the state’s voter registration into the digital age as Tennessee joins a majority of other states that have already implemented similar systems.

“This system meets people where they already are: online,” Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “It will improve accuracy and efficiency for voters and election officials by ensuring there are fewer errors and more accurate voter rolls.”

The online voter option, now available at ovr.govote.tn.gov, is the product of a law passed in 2016 that called for the state to have an online registration system running by July 1, 2017.

During the 2017 legislative session, the deadline was extended to Sept. 1, 2017, but the site has been up for a couple of weeks.

The new system will allow first-time voters to register and current voters to update registration records.

The online interface is in addition to traditional mail-in registration. The online system will use a voter’s driver’s license or state identification card with photo already in the state’s system, as well as an electronic signature, for registration.

The unique signature will be confidential and not subject to open records law.

If an applicant’s name, birthday and other identifying information isn’t in the state’s system or the applicant doesn’t have a Tennessee driver’s license or identification card, the applicant will be directed to complete and mail in an application to the applicant’s county’s election office.

Tennesseans must still register online or use a paper form at least 30 days before an election to participate.

Reporter Jordan Buie can be reached at 615-726-5970 or by email at jbuie@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @jordanbuie.