13:25 pm Early voting in Carter Co. begins Wednesday
Tennessee Photo ID Law – Town Hall Meeting from Tennessee Department of State on Vimeo.
Starting this Wednesday, registered voters in Carter County will begin heading to the polls for early voting ahead of the March 6 Tennessee Presidential Preference Primaries.
For local voters who want to avoid the potential for long lines on the actual date of the election, the early voting period will be held from Wednesday, March 15 until Tuesday, March 28. The polling place will be set up in the main conference room on the second floor of the Carter County Courthouse.
Voters in Carter County will have an extra day to take advantage of the early voting period this election season. During their January meeting, the county election commission voted in favor of remaining open on Presidents’ Day. The decision to keep the polling place open was made to allow voters who are not working that day an opportunity to vote. All other county offices at the courthouse will be closed on Monday, Feb. 20 in observance of the holiday.
In addition to the Republican and Democratic primaries for the White House, there are also several primaries being held for local offices. Carter County Republicans will select a candidate for Assessor of Property, 1st District County Commissioner, 1st District Constable and 6th District Constable.
The March Primaries will also provide election officials across the state with the first test of the new voter I.D. laws. Last year, the Tennessee General Assembly voted in favor of legislation that requires voters to provide a state-issued photo identification before they cast a ballot in an election. Carter County Election Administrator Tracy Harris said the early voting period will give poll workers and election officials the opportunity to determine the best way to handle the changes in state law.
In order to get familiarized with the impact of the photo I.D. requirements, Harris said they will treat the early voting polling location the same as any other precinct. “We will have the conference room at the county courthouse set up just like any other polling place,” said Harris. She commented that she believes the early voting period will give poll officials and her office plenty of time to streamline the process going into the primary on March 6.
For registered voters who happen to forget to bring an accepted form of identification, state law does allow them to cast a provisional ballot. Harris commented that voters who do forget the photo I.D. will be asked to fill out a provisional ballot. They will then have 48 hours to return with the photo I.D. card.
The Carter County Election Commission will meet one more time before early voting commences. Election commissioners will inspect the voting machines and address any last-minute issues during their Feb. 13 meeting. The session will be held at the county courthouse at 9 a.m.
Harris said she is hopeful most people have heard about the changes to the law and will remember to bring their photo I.D. Accepted forms of identification include a driver’s license with photo I.D., a concealed-carry gun permit, U.S. Passport, a photo I.D. issued by any state or the federal government, or a military I.D.
Private employer identification and a college or student photo identification are not accepted as a valid form of identification.
The law does make an exception to the photo I.D. requirement for voters who have a religious objection to being photographed. Individuals who cite a religious objection will be asked to sign a form stating that their faith prohibits them from being photographed.
Additional questions on the voter I.D. law or the early voting period can be answered by contacting the Carter County Election Commission at 542-1822. The Tennessee Secretary of State has also produced a video on the photo identification requirements. The video can be accessed online at http://www.tn.gov/sos/election/photoID.htm.
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