Voters itching to officially weigh in on the November election can begin casting ballots Wednesday, a day before the Tennessee Court of Appeals is set to hear arguments challenging what IDs people need to vote.
The appellate court is set to hear arguments Thursday challenging the state's voter ID law that dictates people casting ballots must show a government-issued picture ID. Unless the court overturns the law, identification needed to vote [1] includes a current or expired driver’s license, passport, military ID, handgun carry permit, and any other state or federal government-issued identification with a photo on it, except college ID cards.
Election officials will open a dozen polling places across Davidson County for early voting, including several public libraries and community centers, which can be found here [2].
According to the Davidson County Election Commission, the early voting locations are scheduled to open every day but Sunday, with doors opening at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Polling places will close at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at 4:30 p.m. on the remaining days of the week.
During the last presidential election, voters in Davidson and Williamson counties cast the most ballots during early voting, a period that begins 20 days before Election Day.
Nearly three in four voters in the two counties cast their votes early in 2008 [3], compared to 58 percent statewide.
That year, Davidson County registered votes from 265,727 people. Of those votes, 191,420 came from people casting ballots early.
Early voting ends Thursday, Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Links:
[1] http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/election/photoID.htm
[2] http://findwhereivote.nashville.gov/
[3] http://www.tn.gov/sos/election/data/turnout/2008-11.pdf