What to know before voting Tuesday at Tennessee polls

If you plan on voting Tuesday in Tennessee, here is a list of things you should know before heading to the polls:

› Polls open at varying times across the state, depending on where you live and what time zone you live in. In Hamilton County, which is on Eastern Time, polls open at 8 a.m. But all polls close at the same time: 8 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. CT.

› Not sure where you’re supposed to vote? It should be on your voter registration card. But if you need to double check, go to bit.ly/tn-vote-info.

› Tennessee has no same- day voter registration. The deadline for registering was Oct. 5.

› You will need either a Tennessee government or federal government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot. A number of IDs can be used, even if they have expired. But out-of-state government IDs or college IDs are not acceptable. The list of acceptable IDs includes:

› A Tennessee driver license with your photo.

› Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

› Photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government.

› United States military photo ID.

› Tennessee handgun carry permit with your photo.

› United States passport.

› Give yourself enough time to cast a ballot. While Tennesseans’ busted previous records during early voting in October, there are COVID-19 procedures in effect. And people who either have COVID-19 symptoms, tested positive for it or have been in quarantine should contact local election officials in advance who may be providing special accommodations.

ABSENTEE MAIL-IN BALLOTS:

› If you haven’t already mailed your absentee mail-in ballot, state and Hamilton County officials say the U.S. Postal Service will have one designated post office in each of the state’s 95 counties where voters can take their completed ballots in the county where they reside to be mailed with a first-class stamp and officially stamped prior to 3 p. m. local time on Election Day. A representative from the county election commission will pick up ballots directly from the designated post office to ensure they are received by the close of polls.

› Hamilton County voters can take their completed absentee by-mail ballot to the post office at 6050 Shallowford Road.

› If you’re not sure your previously mailed absentee ballot arrived on time — they have to be in election officials hands before polls close — you can cast a provisional ballot.

Election officials will count your absentee ballot if it did arrive on time and discard the provisional ballot. If your absentee ballot isn’t received by the time polls close, election officials will then count your provisional ballot.

› When is Tennessee’s deadline for certifying election results? Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office says the results- certifying deadline is Nov. 23.