A Tennessee think tank looks to provide information in a low-voter-participation state
As Tennessee’s 2024 elections get closer and closer, think tank ThinkTennessee is using a five-part voter education series to offer guidance on election laws in the state and how folks can actively participate in their government.
In August and November, voters in the state will cast ballots to determine several offices in municipal, state and federal elections as well as a transit referendum in Nashville. As folks choose representation for president, roles in the Tennessee General Assembly and more, ThinkTennessee is looking to give voters the most information they can ahead of voting day.
“While federal laws set certain national regulations for elections across the country, elections are administered at the state level and states have significant latitude in determining various voting and elections policies,” the organization says. “As a result, policies regarding voter registration eligibility and how voters can cast their ballots vary from state to state.”
The organization’s new series, which was released in June, is made up of five policy briefs offering an overview of voter registration, casting ballots, absentee voting, restoring voting rights and election integrity.
This is how the five briefs are described:
- Part I: Voter Registration: This brief describes what Tennesseans should know about voter registration, including who can and cannot register, when, where, and how to register, and when to update one’s voter information.
- Part II: Casting Ballots: This brief describes the various types and timing of elections in Tennessee. It also describes where, when, and how ballots may be cast, as well as the do’s and don’ts of polling place procedures.
- Part III: Voting Absentee: This brief describes who is and is not eligible to vote absentee in Tennessee, as well as how to request and cast an absentee ballot. It also provides an overview of how absentee ballots are reviewed and counted once cast.
- Part IV: Restoring Voting Rights: This brief describes who is eligible to have voting rights restored and the process for doing so in Tennessee. It also details how to register to vote once voting rights have been restored.
- Part V: Election Integrity: This brief describes the steps and processes Tennessee uses to ensure the integrity of elections, including the verification of voter eligibility, in-person ballots, and absentee ballots.
ThinkTennessee formed this grouping of briefs as an outcropping of its 2022 After Action Election Report. That report looked at Tennessee calls to a national election protection hotline, information shared by county election administrators, and examples from other states to identify potential voter education efforts and strategies to help with voter turnout in subsequent elections. It turns out some folks really wanted help with how to vote, not just who to vote for.
“The voice of Tennessee voters will be critical this year,” said ThinkTennessee President Erin Hafkenschiel. “However, as the evidence in our 2022 After Action Election report showed, many Tennesseans are not aware of our state’s specific election laws and procedures, like when the voter registration window closes or what systems are in place to maintain the integrity of our elections. This series will provide critical answers to those questions and more, ensuring that every Tennessean who is eligible to cast a ballot can do so and trust that their vote will be counted as cast.”
Hafkenschiel answered a few questions about the series and how voters can learn more about elections on a local level.
Can you talk a bit more about the 2022 After Action Election Report and how those conclusions formed the basis for this project?
Our election after-action reports take a look at Tennessee’s elections after each federal election cycle. As part of the analysis, we review quantitative data on voter registration and turnout rates, voters’ participation methods (e.g., Early Voting, on Election Day or absentee), and the competitiveness of the races on the ballot. These quantitative data sources are important because they tell us what happened during an election, but they do not tell us why.
So, to round out our analysis we also review more qualitative forms of data, like news reports about how the elections went, a survey (which we administer) among Tennessee election administrators, and data from calls to a national election protection hotline. According to our research, Tennessee voters made 221 calls during the November 2022 election cycle. Most callers (61.1 percent) sought information on basic voting and election questions — whether they were registered, where their polling place was, or inquiring about the status of their absentee ballot — while 43.3 percent reported a challenge — not being able to cast a ballot because they hadn’t registered to vote in time or not being able to cast an absentee ballot because they had registered online and not yet voted in person. Thus, following our last two after-action reports it was clear to us: if we want to increase civic engagement and participation in the state of Tennessee, voter education needs to be a priority.
What is the organization’s overall goal with these materials? Are you tracking any data to see how they’re being utilized?
Tennessee has consistently trailed most other states on both voter registration and turnout rates. Unfortunately, this last election cycle (2022), we were dead last in turnout (51st) and 42nd in registration. The question on so many peoples’ minds is “why?” and “what can we do to change that?”
At ThinkTennessee, we work to both explain why we aren’t always seeing the outcomes we hope to see in Tennessee and build pathways for change through education, engagement, and advocacy. The 2024 Voter Education Series is a prime example of that work in action.
Our primary goal with this series is ensuring that Tennessee voters understand what they need to know about registering and when, how, and where they can cast their ballots. These materials are specific to 2024 — with this year’s deadlines — and are relevant to voters in all 95 counties. We have worked hard to ensure their accuracy and accessibility, including through the production of large-print and text-only versions of the document on our website for Tennesseans with print disabilities, as well as Arabic and Spanish translations, which are forthcoming.
We also hope that the series benefits the people and organizations around the state who are working to increase civic participation through voter registration drives and get out the vote (GOTV) efforts. We consulted with many of these partners during the production of the series, as well as local election administrators, to inform the development of the materials and make sure that Tennesseans in all communities across the state have the information they need to vote.
While we are not tracking downloads, we are measuring success by the number of our partners who are requesting the materials, presentations about them, and ultimately by how many more Tennesseans (hopefully!) show up to the polls on Election Day!
Are there pieces in addition to the report that are working toward this kind of voter education?
Some county election commissions put together materials and host trainings or voting machine demonstrations to help inform voters and familiarize them with the election process. We’d encourage all voters to connect with their County Election Commission to find out what kind of information they have available and to answer any questions they have about the process.
What resources could be added for Tennessee residents to make them understand their voting rights and responsibilities?
Tennessee has a rich civic history, from casting the decisive vote to ratify the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote to being the setting for so many key moments in the civil rights movement. However, as the data we’ve shared shows, our state has somehow fallen behind when it comes to civic participation. At ThinkTennessee, we believe that Tennesseans deserve better and that we can rediscover the state’s voting culture and commitment to robust civic engagement. We will need to see shifts at the individual and structural levels to get there. The voter education series will help with that individual side, but there is a role for institutions to play as well. For instance, local libraries and museums can host community conversations or more formal civic education curricula, and our government can change policies to make voting and elections even more accessible for Tennesseans.
If you could pick one piece of information to call out from the report, what would be it?
Every voter should know that voting is county-based. If you are registered here in Davidson County, you vote in Davidson County. We heard a story from an election official about a would-be voter who came to their office upset because they tried to vote but couldn’t. They were a student at a school in that county, but they were registered in a different county where they had lived before. They were under the impression that because they were registered, they could vote.
Which seems reasonable, unless you know that voting is county and not state-based. Every county has a County Election Commission with an election administrator who oversees the process for that county. They are the best source for all the information you could possibly want to know about voting in your county.
