§ 2-3-302 — Establishment of convenient voting centers

(a) After the required approval of the project plan for the convenient voting centers, the county election commission may create a program that establishes convenient voting centers within the county pursuant to § 2-3-303 for federal, state, and local elections. (b) If convenient voting centers are used in the election, the county election commission shall not be limited by the provisions set forth in § 2-3-101(a) ; provided, that no polling location may be changed within ten (10) days of an election except in an emergency. (c) Each convenient voting center used in the pilot project shall have a secure electronic connection, certified by the coordinator of elections, to the computerized voter registration system maintained by the county election commission permitting all voting information processed by any computer at a convenient voting center to be immediately accessible to all other computers at all convenient voting centers in the county. The secure electronic connection shall be sufficient to prevent any voter from voting more than once and to prevent unauthorized access to the computerized voter registration system. (d) Each convenient voting center shall meet applicable federal and state laws, including the accessibility requirements of the Help America Vote Act ( 42 U.S.C. § 15301 ). (e) Chapter 7 of this title applies to all convenient voting centers. (f) This part applies only in the following: (1) A county having a population of not less than thirty-five thousand twenty (35,020) nor more than thirty-five thousand thirty (35,030), according to the 2010 federal census or a subsequent federal census; (2) A county having a population of not less than one hundred fifty-six thousand eight hundred twenty (156,820) nor more than one hundred fifty-six thousand eight hundred thirty (156,830), according to the 2010 federal census or a subsequent federal census; (3) A county having a population of not less than one hundred sixty thousand six hundred forty (160,640) nor more than one hundred sixty thousand six hundred fifty (160,650), according to the 2010 federal census or a subsequent federal census; (4) A county having a population of not less than thirty-two thousand one hundred (32,100) nor more than thirty-two thousand two hundred (32,200), according to the 2020 federal census or a subsequent federal census; and (5) A county having a population of not less than one hundred thirty-three thousand (133,000) nor more than one hundred thirty-three thousand one hundred (133,100), according to the 2020 federal census or a subsequent federal census. (g) Prior to closing a polling location due to the opening or availability of a convenient voting center, the county election commission shall announce a thirty-day period in which the commission shall receive public comment from registered voters regarding the closing of the polling location. (h) If a polling location is closed due to the opening of a convenient voting center, the county election commission shall endeavor to ensure that convenient voting centers are located in locations convenient to voters who had been assigned to the closed polling location. (i) If a polling location is closed due to the opening of a convenient voting center, the county election commission shall post signage on election day, and during the early voting period if that polling location was used as an early voting center, in a conspicuous manner on or near the entrances to the closed polling location that states that the polling location is closed and that provides the address of each convenient voting center. The posting requirement must be met until after the next November statewide general election following the closure.

Legislative History

Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 397, s 1, eff. 5/11/2023. Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 262, s 3, eff. 4/28/2023. Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 262, s 1, eff. 4/28/2023. Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 419, s 3, eff. 1/1/2022. Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 419, s 2, eff. 1/1/2022. Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 445, Secs.s 2, s 3 eff. 7/1/2019. Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 445, s 1, eff. 7/1/2019. Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 768, s 1, eff. 1/1/2017. Acts 2008 , ch. 1087, § 1; 2011 , ch. 455, § 3.