MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
If you want to vote by absentee ballot, you might want to go online now to do so. There's been some confusion about getting an absentee ballot. When you go online, there's not a section to mark if you want a ballot because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If they want to vote by mail they need to make sure they're registered and have voted at least once in person. Because if you register online or by mail you can't vote absentee. You have to appear in person with a voter ID. It's a two-step process. They need to send us an application they can get on shelbyvote.com or call us at 222-6800 and we will mail it to them. They have to complete the application, and because this is a primary, they have to indicate a party. That's very important, and they also need to give a full social security number, sign the application, and select a reason. Then mail, fax, or email it to us. But it does take an original signature, you can't do it entirely online,” said Linda Phillips, Shelby County Election Commission’s Administrator of Elections.
July 7 is the last day to register to vote, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is July 30.