Election Commission

Unless you are on the permanent absentee voting register, enrolled in the Safe at Home program, or you have previously voted in the county of registration, you must appear in-person to vote in the first election after you have registered by-mail or online at GoVoteTN.gov.

YOU MUST REQUEST A BALLOT FOR EACH ELECTION.

You must mail your ballot in time for our office to receive it no later than the close of polls on Election Day.

MAIL TO: 705 COUNTY SERVICES DR, COOKEVILLE, TN 38501 OR FAX (931) 526-8724

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Track My Absentee Ballot
Enter your information and you will be able to track when the ballot was issued and received by our office.

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If you are unable to appear at your polling place on Election Day, or during the Early Voting period at the office, you may request a by-mail ballot for the following reasons.

Who is eligible to vote absentee by-mail?

For a written request include the following information and a ballot will be mailed to you.

Name
Date of Birth
Social Security Number
Residential Address
Phone Number
Your Reason For Voting By Mail
Which Election You Wish To Vote (including any party affiliation)
Where To Mail The Ballot If Out Of The County
Penalty Of Perjury (Must Write this and sign below) I swear or affirm, under the penalty of perjury, that all the information on this form is true and correct and that the voter is eligible to vote in the election.
Your Signature

If your request is incomplete for any reason, an official application must be mailed to you and returned to our office before a ballot can be processed. Only the request for ballot may be faxed to this number (931) 526-8724, e-mailed with an attached document that includes a scanned signature or hand delivered to our office. The delivery and return of the "ballot" must be done through the US mail. If you have problems please contact our office at (931) 526-2566.

The last day to receive a request for by-mail voting or physician's statements is seven days prior to the Election. Your request must be in the office by the close of business that day.

Notice: A person who is not an employee of an election commission commits a Class E felony if such person gives an application for an absentee ballot to any person or commits a Class A misdemeanor if such person gives an unsolicited request for application for absentee ballot to any person. T.C.A. § 2-6-202(c)(3) and (4).

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Permanent Absentee List

For a voter to be placed on our permanent absentee mailing list, he/she must take a "Physician's Statement" to his/her doctor to be completed by the physician.

Once our office receives the completed document, we will place the voter on the "Permanent Absentee List" which means the following:

· For each election that the voter is eligible to vote in, we will automatically mail an Application for Ballot to the voter. If the voter wishes to vote in the election, he/she must complete the application and mail, fax or hand-deliver it back to our office. We will then "MAIL" an absentee ballot to the voter.

· When the voter receives the ballot, he/she must complete the ballot and "MAIL" it back to us by Election day.

**NO BALLOTS may be faxed or hand-delivered to our office!

· If a voter is on the 'Permanent Absentee List', this only guarantees that the voter will automatically be mailed an 'application for a ballot'.

Click Here for Physician's Statement

fpca

Overseas and Military Voters

An "FPCA" or "Standard Form 76" is the most common application for armed forces on active duty, activated National Guard member on state orders, their spouses, and any overseas voters. This form may be obtained from their Postal Services or Click Here for an F PCA form.

Complete the Form 76, and fax it to 931-526-8724, e-mail it with an attached document that includes a scanned signature, hand deliver it to our office or mail it to: Putnam County Election Commission; 705 County Services Drive; Cookeville, TN 38501.

The Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) amendment was signed by the President on October 28, 2009. This changed the length of time the Form 76 is effective in our office. In order for the voter to receive absentee ballots for any regularly scheduled election, the voter must submit a new Form 76 EACH calendar year. The Form 76 is now only effective for one (1) calendar year. On the forms, you must indicate a party preference if you wish to vote in any primary Elections.

Military on active duty, activated National Guard, and Overseas voters may also submit a regular request for absentee ballot or a written request for absentee ballot. The voter must indicate that they are military, a military spouse or an overseas citizen. All requests must have the penalty of perjury statement and be signed under the perjury statement.

Absentee ballots for the armed forces, national guard, and overseas voters are mailed early. The ballots will be sent by-mail, (unless you have requested to receive yours by e-mail) and received by-mail, on or by Election Day, to be counted in the State of Tennessee. You will receive 'return envelopes' for the ballots, with no postage required. If you request your ballot by e-mail, you must be able to print the ballot out and have two envelopes available for the ballot return. For more information on military and overseas voting in Tennessee click here.

If you need further information, our e-mail address is: absentee@putnamcountytn.gov . We will reply as soon as we can. You may also check out the website for the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

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Address Changes & Fail Safe Voting

Address Changes

If you are already registered in Putnam County and you move within Putnam County, you will need to change your address with us. You can go online to or complete an address change form and mail or drop off at our office.

Federal Fail Safe Voting procedures for voters who have moved within the county:

According to the 1993 Federal Voter Registration Act, all voters must vote in the precinct where they reside.

If you do not update your address information before going to vote you must complete a "Fail Safe Voting Affidavit" declaring your new residencial address. Election Officials will review this information to ensure you vote the proper ballot at your proper location.

If you have moved within your precinct, you will vote at the same precinct.

If you have moved to a precinct outside your old precinct, Election Officials will issue you a pass to take to your new precinct.

During Early Voting, your address will be changed and you will be allowed to vote the ballot for your new precinct.

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Poll Workers

Election Official Application

Apply to be a Poll Worker!

The Putnam County Election Commissioners appoint Election Officials for each Election. Election Day poll worker positions include; Officer of Election, Precinct Registrar, Machine Operator/Judge, Fail Safe Special Judge and Provisional/Paper Ballot Special Judge.

Click here for a short summary of each position.

Requirements to be a poll worker:

Registered Putnam County Voter or be a sixteen or seventeen year old student
Read, write and communicate in English
Attend training school before each election
Be able to work a 12-14 hour day
Be available on Election Day

Government Employees Who Can Serve as a Poll Worker:

All City and County employees (unless working directly under the supervision of an elected official on the ballot)
State of Tennessee employees
Federal employees -- consult your Human Resources Department to ensure eligibility

The polls in Putnam County are open on Election Day from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Poll Workers must be in the precinct one hour before the polls open to set-up the precinct. Poll workers must stay the entire day and leave together that night, after the polls close.

The Putnam County Election Commission pays the Election worker for attending the school of instruction and for approximately a twelve (12) hour Election Day. Pay varies by position worked.

If you would like to become an Election worker in Putnam County, please contact the Election Commission Office or complete our on-line form and mail or fax it to us.

Mail: 705 County Services Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501
Phone: 931-526-2566
Fax: 931-526-8724

electioncommission

Election Commissioners