Voting by mail

My Experience voting by mail 

I have voted in person in every presidential election since 2000.  However, due to the Coronavirus I chose to vote via absentee ballot.  I must admit I was skeptical of the process, because it took some time for my ballot to arrive so I was worried that I was not going to have an opportunity to vote and it be counted.  I feel like it is important for me to document my experience as a first time absentee ballot voter for not only people with disabilities, but others who may have been nervous about the proposition of voting by mail.

First I requested the ballot by completing   I received my ballot on Saturday completed as instructed and mailed it back in the envelope provided to me by the Shelby County election commission.

Instructions for absentee Voting by mail mark the ballot using blue or black pen as shown.Fill in the oval. Do not use a red pen or a pencil. The ballot may say to use a black but either blue or black is fine.

Fold the ballot and seal it in the yellow ballot envelope.

Do not detach the flap. Leave the flap on the envelope and sign. 

Your ballot cannot be counted unless the envelope has been signed.Your signature affirms that you are eligible to vote in this election.(The ballot envelope may have a white sticker or only printed information). 

If someone has helped you vote, your helper and a witness must also sign in this section.Make sure that you sign the envelope that is personalized for you if there are multiple voters in the household. 

Placed the yellow ballot envelope in the white return envelope.

Place postage on the return envelope.One first class stamp is sufficient for this ballot. Mail the ballot.Please note that ballots must be mailed; they will not be counted if they are handed-delivered. Make sure you mail your ballot in time to arrive on or before Election Day.  Ballots received after Election Day cannot be counted.

I mailed my ballot but considering how the United States Postal Service has been backed up I was more than a little bit concerned.  However, it was easy to track the status of my ballot by visiting   https://tnmap.to.gov/voterlookup.  

Enter your voter registration information and the last four digits of your social security number

It will take you to a screen where you will find the date your ballot request was received and the date that your ballot was received by the county.

This is important, because if you chose to vote by mail in Tennessee your ballot must be received by mail on or by Election Day if not your vote will not be counted.  The best way to get a timely answer is to email voteinfo@shelbycountytn.gov.  You can also call 901-222-6800.

It was a simple process and I believe it allowed more people an opportunity to participate in this election cycle.  However, I did miss the experience of standing in line waiting listening to older people talk about their first time voting as I waited to cast my vote. 

Happy Election Day and Remember Every Vote Counts!