Voter Guide 2020: It's Election Day; everything you need to know about elections in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi

TENNESSEE

Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. across the state. Anyone in line when the polls close at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Click here to find your registration and polling place information

Voters must present proper photo I.D. to vote. See the chapter below for those requirements.

If you do not have your I.D., your name does not appear in the poll book or you have another issue, you are still entitled to vote. You may request a provisional ballot and vote that way. After the election, your provisional ballot will be reviewed and if it meets all the requirements, your vote will count in the election. Don't let anyone deny your right to vote.

Absentee ballots must be received by your county election commission by 7:00 p.m. in order to count. You are not allowed to drop off a ballot (or have a designee deliver it) in Tennessee. The United States Postal Service has designed one drop off location in each county to deliver absentee ballots on Election Day. You must mail your ballot at this location by 3:00 p.m. on election day. Click here to find the designated location in your county.

ARKANSAS

Polls are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. across the state. Anyone in line when the polls close at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Click here to find your registration and polling place information

Voters must present proper photo I.D. to vote. See the chapter below for those requirements.

If you do not have your I.D., your name does not appear in the poll book or you have another issue, you are still entitled to vote. You may request a provisional ballot and vote that way. After the election, your provisional ballot will be reviewed and if it meets all the requirements, your vote will count in the election. Don't let anyone deny your right to vote.

Absentee ballots must be received by your county clerk by 7:30 p.m. in order to count. You may not drop off an absentee ballot in person on Election Day in Arkansas; you must have a designee or authorized agent deliver it to the county clerk's office. Any mailed ballot must arrived by 7:30 p.m. You may not fax or email completed ballots, with exceptions for out-of-country voters.

MISSISSIPPI

Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. across the state. Anyone in line when the polls close at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Click here to find your registration and polling place information

Voters must present proper photo I.D. to vote. See the chapter below for those requirements.

If you do not have your I.D., your name does not appear in the poll book or you have another issue, you are still entitled to vote. You may request an affidavit ballot and vote that way. After the election, your affidavit ballot will be reviewed and if it meets all the requirements, your vote will count in the election. Don't let anyone deny your right to vote.

Absentee ballots must be mailed on Election Day at the latest. The ballot must also be received within five business days (Nov. 10) by your circuit clerk's office in order to count.

All the states in our area require some form of identification that includes a photo in order for most people to vote. For most people, their driver's license will meet the requirement, but there are options for those who don't have a license.

TENNESSEE

You must present a proper photo ID when voting in person in Tennessee. Here is the list of accepted ID in Tennessee, even if expired:

• Tennessee driver's license with your photo
• United States passport
• Photo ID from the Tennessee Depart of Safety and Homeland Security
• Photo ID issued by the federal government or Tennessee state government
• Photo ID issued by the United States military
• Handgun carry permit with your photo issued by Tennessee

Tennessee does not accept college ID, county or city-issued ID or photo ID from other states.

Photo ID is not required for absentee voters, those who are hospitalized, or any resident of a nursing home or assisted living center who votes at that facility.

First-time voters who registered by mail must present current photo ID to vote or present an expired ID along with a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows both name and address.

If you don't have a photo ID or cannot afford one, click or tap this link for free alternatives

If you forget your ID on election day, you can still vote in Tennessee. You should request a provisional ballot and fill it out completely. You then have two days following the election to take your proper photo ID to the election commission office. If you do that, your vote WILL be counted.

 If you need assistance, call the Official Election Day Hotline at (877) 850-4959.

ARKANSAS

You must present a proper photo ID when voting in person in Arkansas. Here is the list of accepted ID in Arkansas, even if expired within the past four years, as long as they were issued by the State of Arkansas, the United States government or an accredited educational institution in Arkansas:

• Driver's license
• Photo ID card
• Concealed handgun carry permit
• United States passport
• Employee badge or ID document from an accredited postsecondary education institution in the State or Arkansas.
• Photo ID issued by the United States military
• Public assistance ID card with a photo
• Arkansas voter verification card

If you do not have a proper ID, you may get a voter verification card from your local county clerk's office. You will have to fill out on affidavit and provide documentation of your full legal name and date of birth, plus documentation including your name and home address.

First-time voters who registered by mail must present current photo ID to vote or present an expired ID along with a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows both name and address.

Absentee voters must send a copy of their proper ID when returning their completed ballot by mail. Members of the military and their families are exempt from this requirement.

If you live in a state-licensed long-term care or residential care facility, you do not have to present ID when voting in person or absentee. However, you will need documentation from the facility stating that you are a resident.

If you forget your ID on election day, you can still vote in Arkansas. You should request a provisional ballot and fill it out completely. You can either fill out a sworn statement at the polling site attesting to your identity OR take your proper photo ID to the county clerk by noon on the Monday following the election. If you complete those steps, your vote WILL be counted.

MISSISSIPPI

You must present a proper photo ID when voting in person in Mississippi. Here is the list of accepted ID in Mississippi, even if expired as long as it was issued within the past 10 years: 

• Driver's license with your photo
• Photo ID card issued by any Mississippi government agency
• United States Passport
• Government employee ID card with your photo
• Firearms license with your photo
• A student photo ID issued by an accredited Mississippi university college or community college. Click or tap here for the listed of accredited institutions.
• Photo ID issued by the United States military
• Tribal photo ID
• Any photo ID issued by the United States government or any state government
• Mississippi voter ID card

If you do not have an acceptable ID, you may get a free Mississippi voter ID card at any circuit clerk's office. Click or tap this link to find out about that process.

If you are voting absentee by mail, you do not have to present a photo ID.

For questions about Mississippi's photo ID requirements, click or tap here for assistance from the State of Mississippi.

If you forget your ID on election day, you can still vote in Mississippi. You should request an affidavit ballot and fill it out completely. You then have five business days following the election to take your proper photo ID to the circuit or municipal clerk's office. If you do that, your vote WILL be counted.

Before you cast your ballot, you want to make sure you know on which candidates and issues you'll have to decide. 

Remember: you are not required to vote on every race. Your ballot counts the same if you choose to vote on one race, several races or all of them.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

When you vote in the presidential race, you are not actually voting for the candidates listed on the ballot. Instead, you are voting for electors, i.e. members of the electoral college pledged to support certain candidates. To win the presidential election, a candidate needs votes from at least 270 electors.

Because each state operates its own election, there will be differences in candidates who appear on each ballot. Also, some states may list all party affiliations while others refer to all parties other than Republican/Democratic as independent.

Here are the candidates you'll see on the ballot:

Republican Party

• Donald J. Trump for President
• Michael R. Pence for Vice President

Democratic Party

• Joseph R. Biden for President
• Kamala D. Harris for Vice President

Constitution Party (Independent)

• Don Blankenship for President
• William Mohr for Vice President

American Solidarity (not on ballot in Tennessee)

• Brian Carroll for President
• Amar Patel for Vice President

Prohibition Party (Independent, not on ballot in Tennessee)

• Phil Collins for President
• Bill Parker for Vice President

Independent (not on ballot in Mississippi)

• Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente for President
• Darcy G. Richardson for Vice President

Independent (only on ballot in Arkansas)

• C.L. Gammon for President
• Phil Collins for Vice President

Green Party (Independent)

• Howie Hawkins for President
• Angela Walker for Vice President

Libertarian Party (Independent)

• Jo Jorgenson for President
• Jeremy "Spike" Cohen for Vice President

Independent (not on ballot in Mississippi)

• Alyson Kennedy for President
• Malcolm Jarrett for Vice President

Life and Liberty Party (only on ballot in Arkansas)

• John Richard Myers for President
• Tiara Suzanne Lusk for Vice President

Independent (not on ballot in Tennessee)

• Brock Pierce for President
• Karla Ballard for Vice President

Socialism and Liberation Party (Independent, not on ballot in Mississippi)

• Gloria La Riva for President
• Sunil Freeman for Vice President

Independent

• Kanye West for President
• Michelle Tidball for Vice President

TENNESSEE

U.S. Senate

There are 11 candidates on the general election ballot hoping to replace Republican Senator Lamar Alexander who is not seeking re-election. Republican Bill Hagerty and Democrat Marquita Bradshaw are expected to be the top two candidates.

U.S. House District 8

Republican incumbent David Kustoff faces three challengers including democrat Erika Stotts Pearson whom Kustoff defeated in 2018. This district includes 13 whole counties in West Tennessee plus the eastern half of Shelby County.

U.S. House District 9

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen was first elected to this seat in the 2006 election. He has three challengers this year including Republican Charlotte Bergmann who is making her fourth attempt at unseating Cohen. Her best showing was in 2014 when she received 23% of the vote to Cohen's 75%. Independents Dennis Clark and Bobby Lyons are also running.

There are multiple State Senate and State House seats on the ballot this year as well as several municipal races for seats like mayor and alderman. To view the sample ballot for your home, continue down to our sample ballot chapter.

ARKANSAS

U.S. Senate

Republican incumbent Tom Cotton defeated Democratic Senator Mark Pryor in 2014 and is completing his first term in office. This year, his only challenger is Libertarian candidate and pastor Ricky Dale Harrington, Jr.

U.S. House District 1

Republican incumbent Rick Crawford is unopposed seeking his fifth term representing eastern Arkansas.

Ballot issue 1

Voters are asked whether they want to extend a 0.5% sales tax used for infrastructure. Voters first approved the tax increase in 2012 with a 10-year expiration date. This year, voters are being asked to make the sales tax increase permanent. The money is used to maintain roads and bridges across the state.

Ballot issue 2

Lawmakers are asking voters to change the constitution as it relates to term limits for state legislators. In 2014, voters imposed a limit of 16 years of service in the state legislature with time in both the State Senate and State House counting towards that total. Lawmakers want to change the limit so they can serve 12 consecutive years, take a four-year break from the legislature, then seek election again.

Ballot issue 3

Constitutional amendments that appear on the ballot may be initiated either by state lawmakers or citizens of Arkansas. Issue 3 makes it more difficult for citizens to get a proposed amendment on the ballot. Among the changes lawmakers want: increase the number of signatures required, reduce the time to gather those signatures, and take away the opportunity to get more signatures if petitioners are short.

Ballot issues 4,5,6

These ballot issues were all citizen-originated issues that the Arkansas Supreme Court removed from the ballot. The court ruled the signatures gathered in each case did not meet the requirements of current state law.

Due to the State Supreme Court's ruling in mid-September after some ballots were printed, Arkansas Issue 6 about optometry will still appear on many ballots, however the votes will not be counted or certified.

State legislature

There are multiple State Senate and State House seats on the ballot this year. To view the sample ballot for your home, continue down to our sample ballot chapter.

MISSISSIPPI

U.S. Senate

Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith was first elected to this seat during a special election in 2018 to fill the term of the late Thad Cochran. In the special election, Hyde-Smith defeated Democratic candidate Mike Espy 54% to 46%. Espy returns in 2020 to challenge Hyde-Smith for the seat again. Libertarian Jimmy Edwards is also seeking that seat.

U.S. House District 1

Rep. Trent Kelly is seeking his third full term representing North Mississippi. The Republican congressman faces a challenge from Ole Miss law professor Antonia Eliason.

U.S. House District 2

Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson first took his seat representing the Mississippi Delta in 1993, 27 years ago. He looks to hold on to his well-established position against political newcomer and retired U.S. Navy sailor, Brian Flowers, who earned the Republican nomination.

Ballot measure 1

This is an unusually complicated ballot measure and it has to do with medical marijuana usage in Mississippi. There are two proposals inside the one ballot measure and therefore two votes for you to make. One proposal is called Initiative Measure 65; the other is Initiative Measure 65A.

The first vote you must make is whether you want to pass EITHER measure to legalize medical marijuana or vote against BOTH of them. This is one of two votes in this measure.

The second vote is which of the measures you prefer, 65 or 65A. If you vote for EITHER measure in the first vote, you MUST make a selection on this second item in order for your vote to count. If you vote against BOTH measures, you may still choose to cast a vote here in case the ballot measure passes.

There are several differences in the two measures, but they boil down to this: Initiative Measure 65 sets specific diagnoses, usage, taxation and other rules for the use of medical marijuana. 65A leaves nearly all of those details to the state legislature.

Ballot Measure 2

You may not know it, but the way Mississippi's Governor is elected is quite complicated. To win the seat, a candidate must receive the most votes in a majority of the state's 122 State House districts. If no one reaches that threshold, the Mississippi House chooses a winner (as happened in 1999 with Governor Ronnie Musgrove.)

The proposal removes those requirements changing the threshold to a simple majority of votes in the state. If no candidate earns a majority, the two candidates with the most votes would face each other in a run-off election.

Ballot Measure 3

This ballot measure is to approve the recommended design for Mississippi's new state flag. If the measure passes, Mississippi will have a new state flag. If it fails, it's back to the drawing board for a new design recommendation for voter approval.

There are also school board and election commission races in many counties. To view the sample ballot for your home, continue down to our sample ballot chapter.

It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with all the issues that will appear on your ballot before you vote. Below are links to sample ballots for our entire viewing area. Keep in mind, while many counties publish sample ballots that include every race in the county, you will only see the races on your ballot for the district you live in. For example, voters in Memphis will not see any of the suburban races. To find out which districts you're eligible to vote in, click here for Tennessee, here for Arkansas or here for Mississippi.

TENNESSEE

Dyer County

Fayette County

Hardeman County

Haywood County

Lauderdale County

McNairy County

Shelby County 

Tipton County

ARKANSAS

To view your sample ballot in Arkansas, you will need to enter your full name and birthdate on the state's website. The site will provide your available early and election day polling locations, along with your sample ballot at the bottom of the page.

Click or tap here to visit the Arkansas Secretary of State's VoterView website

MISSISSIPPI

Alcorn County

Benton County

Coahoma County

Desoto County

Lafayette County

Marshall County

Panola County

Tate County

Tippah County

Tunica County

If you are not able to physically appear at a poll to cast your ballot, you may be eligible to vote absentee by mail in Tennessee, Arkansas or Mississippi if you qualify.

TENNESSEE

To vote absentee by mail in Tennessee, you must meet one of the following requirements: 

• You are age 60 or older
• You will be outside the county where you are registered for the entire 14-day early voting period AND all day on election day
• You are physically unable to appear at the polling place due to a medical condition. In 2020, this also includes people at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 due to underlying conditions. You must have one of the conditions listed by the CDC to use this reason, however you do not need a doctor's note. If you are the caretaker of someone who meets the criteria in this paragraph, you are also eligible to vote absentee by mail without a doctor's note.
• You live in a nursing home or assisted living facility outside your county of residence.
• You are on disability and your polling place is inaccessible.
• You are on the permanent absentee list. This requires a signed note from a physician submitted at least seven days before election day.
• You or your spouse are a full-time college student outside your county of residence.
• You are observing a religious holiday during the entire early voting period and all of election day.
• You are an election day official or employed by a county election commission.
• You are a candidate in the current election.
• You cannot vote due to jury duty obligations.
• You or your spouse possess a CDL or TWIC and will be working out of your county of residence with no fixed mailing address for the entirety of the early voting period and on election day.

Click or tap here to get an absentee ballot request form. You must submit this completed form to your county election commission to receive a ballot.  Either form must be received by your county election commission at least seven days before the election. The completed ballot must be MAILED early enough that your county election commission receives your absentee ballot by the time the polls close on election day. Tennessee law does not allow for completed ballots to be dropped off at any location; they must be mailed.

If you have a disability that prevents you from using a printed ballot, you may submit a Print Disability Absentee Ballot Request form.

Voters who are serving in the U.S. military, their families and other voters living overseas may receive their ballot by email. Click or tap here for that information.

You can track the status of your absentee ballot by clicking or tapping here.

If you request an absentee ballot but do not receive it in time or choose to vote in person, you still have the option of voting early or at your polling place on election day. Because you have requested a ballot, polling records will likely show that you've already voted absentee, however, you should request to vote on a provisional ballot. Those ballots are reviewed by hand after the election ends to make sure a voter is eligible, voting in the correct location and that they have not voted twice. If your ballot meets all the requirements, it will be counted. If there is a discrepancy, the election commission may decide not to count that ballot. Either way, the election commission should notify you by mail about whether or not your provisional ballot was counted and the reason why or why not.

ARKANSAS

Voters in Arkansas may vote absentee if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on election day
• You live in a state-licensed residential or long-term care facility
• You are unable to attend your polling site on election day due to illness or disability. The State Board of Election Commissioners this year determined "qualified electors who conclude their attendance at the poll raises concerns to their health or the health of others as a results [sic] of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be therefore unavoidably absent from the polls, may request and submit an absentee ballot..."

You may request an absentee ballot by contacting your county clerk's office, by mailing an application, or by having a designated bearer deliver your application.

Once your application is submitted, you may vote in person at the county clerk's office up to the day before the election or by mail.

Completed absentee ballots must be returned to your county clerk by the following deadlines:

• In person delivery: Nov. 2, the day before election day
• Designated bearer delivery: 7:30 p.m. on election day
• Mail delivery: 7:30 p.m. on election day

Members of the U.S. military and their families, members of the Merchant Marine or U.S. citizens living abroad can vote via email. Click or tap here for those instructions.

MISSISSIPPI

You can either vote absentee in person at your county circuit clerk's office or by mail if you are eligible.

To vote absentee in person, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• You will be away from your county of residence on election day for any reason.
• You are age 65 or older.
• You are required to work while polls are open on election day (7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.)
• You have a temporary or permanent physical disability that makes it difficult for you to vote in person. For 2020, this includes people under a doctor-imposed quarantine for COVID-19. People caring for dependents in this category are also eligible to vote absentee.
• You are the parent, spouse or dependent on someone hospitalized more than 50 miles from their residence or in another county. This also includes people hospitalized with COVID-19.
• You are a student, teacher or administrator working or attending school outside of your county of residence. Spouses and dependents of people meeting this criteria are also eligible to vote absentee.
• Any member of the Mississippi congressional delegation or their family members who will be absent from Mississippi on election day.

If you meet one of these criteria, you may vote in person at your county circuit clerk's office beginning Sept. 21. Absentee voting is available during normal business hours 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Circuit clerk's offices will also be open those same hours on Saturday, Oct, 24 and Saturday, Oct. 31 for in-person absentee voting. You will need your photo ID to receive a ballot.

Mississippi also allows mail-in absentee voting if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You are age 65 or older.
• You are temporarily living outside your county of residence. The ballot must be mailed to an address outside your home county.
• You have a temporary or permanent physical disability that makes it difficult for you to vote in person. For 2020, this includes people under a doctor-imposed quarantine for COVID-19. People caring for dependents in this category are also eligible to vote absentee.
• You are the parent, spouse or dependent on someone hospitalized more than 50 miles from their residence or in another county. This also includes people hospitalized with COVID-19.

To vote absentee via mail, you will need to contact your circuit clerk's office to request an application for a ballot. The clerk's office will mail the application to you. You must fill it out and sign it in front of an official authorized to administer an oath like a notary public. Those with disabilities can have anyone age 18 or older serve as their witness. You will the return the completed ballot application.

The clerk's office will then mail you a ballot. Again, that must be filled out in front of a witness the same as above and mailed back to the clerk's office. If the request for a mail-in ballot is made close to election day, the application and ballot may be mailed to you at the same time.

Mississippi mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by election day (November 3) AND received on or before November 10th for the ballot to count.

Members of the U.S. military, their families and U.S. citizens living abroad can vote by email or fax. Click or tap here for those instructions.

TENNESSEE

Tennessee allows in-person early voting during a two-week period before election day.

Each county's election commission office will hold early voting during those dates and some counties may offer voting at satellite locations as well. Some of the benefits of early voting include reduced crowds and voting at the location closest to your place of work instead of your assigned precinct. You may also update your voting address at the poll during early voting, a convenience not offered on election day.

For the November federal election, early voting starts on October 14 and runs through Thursday, October 29. Remember: you need a photo I.D. to vote in Tennessee. Here are early voting dates and times by county:

Crockett County

• Crockett County Election Commission - 235 E. Church St., Alamo
• 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
• 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Wednesday
• 9:00 a.m. - noon Saturday

Dyer County

• Dyer County Election Commission - 113 W. Market St., Dyersburg
• 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturday

Fayette County

• Fayette Election Commission - 45 Dogwood Lane, Somerville
• Piperton Baptist Church (Oct. 15 - 17 ONLY) - 205 E. Old State Line, Piperton
• 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturday

Hardeman County

• Hardeman County Election Commission - 106 S. Porter St., Bolivar
• 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 9:00 a.m. - noon Saturday
• 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. October 28th and 29th ONLY

Haywood County

• Haywood County Election Commission - 1 N. Washington St., Brownsville (Haywood County Courthouse, Lower Level)
• 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
• 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
• 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. October 28th and 29th ONLY

Lauderdale County

• Lauderdale County Election Commission - 217 N. Main St., Ripley
• 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
• 8:30 a.m. - noon Saturday

McNairy County

• McNairy County Election Commission - 530 Mulberry Ave., Selmer
• 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 9:00 a.m. - noon Saturday

Tipton County

• Tipton County Election Commission - 113 E. Church St., Covington
• First Baptist Church Atoka - 102 Kimbrough Ave., Atoka
• 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
• 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m Saturday

Shelby County

Shelby County has 26 locations open October 14 - October 29. Dates and times are listed below. Click the name of the location for a map.

Shelby County Election Commission (Downtown)

• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday
• Closed Sundays

All other locations:

• 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday
• Closed Sundays

Abundant Grace Fellowship Church (Whitehaven) | Agricenter International (Cordova) | Anointed Temple of Praise (Southeast Memphis) | Arlington Safe Room | Baker Community Center (Millington) | Berclair Church of Christ | Briarwood Church (Cordova) | Collierville Church of Christ | Compassion Church (Germantown) | Dave Wells Community Center (North Memphis) | Glenview Community Center | Greater Lewis St. Baptist Church (Midtown) | Greater Middle Baptist Church (Parkway Village) | Harmony Church (Bartlett) | Mississippi Blvd. Christian Church Family Life Center (Medical District) | Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church (East Shelby Co.) | Mt. Zion Baptist Church (South Memphis) | New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church (Germantown) | Raleigh United Methodist Church | Riverside Missionary Baptist Church (Westwood) | Second Baptist  Church (East Memphis) | Solomon Temple MB Church | The Pursuit of God Church (formerly Bellevue Frayser) | The Refuge Church (Lakeland) | White Station Church of Christ (East Memphis)

ARKANSAS

Arkansas allows in-person early voting during the 15 days leading up to election day.

Each county has at least one early voting voting site during that time and some counties may offer voting at satellite locations as well. Some of the benefits of early voting include reduced crowds and voting at the location closest to your place of work instead of your assigned precinct. You may also change your name or update your voting address at the poll during early voting, conveniences not offered on election day.

For the November federal election, early voting starts on October 19 and runs through Monday, November 2. Remember: you need a photo I.D. to vote in Arkansas. Here are early voting dates and times by county:

Crittenden County

• Marion Fine Arts Center - 1 Patriot Dr., Marion
• West Memphis Civic Center - 228 W Polk St., West Memphis
• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday

Cross County

• Wynne Fire Station - 1111 Falls Blvd., Wynne
• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday

Lee County

• Lee County Courthouse - 15 E. Chestnut St., Marianna
• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday

Mississippi County

• Mississippi County Election Center - 500 W. Chickasawba, Blytheville
• Manila Airport Community Center - 100 Airport Rd, Manila
• Leachville City Hall - 116 S. Main, Leachville
• Old Osceola Jr. High Cafeteria - 311 Marjorie St., Osceola
• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday

Phillips County

• Phillips County Clerk's Office - 620 Cherry St., Helena-West Helena
• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday

Poinsett County

• Poinsett County Courthouse Annex - 110 N. East St., Harrisburg
• Old Community Center (Oct. 24 ONLY) - 100 Poinsett Ave., Trumann
• First Baptist Church Marked Tree (Oct. 24 ONLY) - 412 Liberty St., Marked Tree
• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday

St. Francis County

• St. Francis County Clerk's Office - 313 S. Izard Suite 2, Forrest City
• 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
• 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi does not offer any form of early voting. Absentee voting, either in person or by mail, is the only method of voting other than on election day.

Most people are already registered to vote but you will want to make sure your name and address are up-to-date and verify your polling place which may have changed since the last election.

TENNESSEE

Click or tap here to see if you're already registered to vote in Tennessee

ARKANSAS

Click or tap here to see if you're already registered to vote in Arkansas

MISSISSIPPI

Click or tap here to see if you're already registered to vote in Mississippi

If you recently moved or you changed your name then you will need to update your registration information. You can update your information HERE FOR TENNESSEE, HERE FOR MISSISSIPPI, AND HERE FOR ARKANSAS.

If you were registered but have not voted in some time, you may have been purged from your state's voter rolls and you will need to re-register.

TENNESSEE

The deadline to register to vote for the November 3, 2020 election was Monday, October 5.

For future elections, you can still register to vote online in Tennessee if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen
• You are over the age of 18
• You are a resident of Tennessee
• You have a Tennessee driver's license or a photo ID from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

If you meet these requirements, click or tap here to fill out an online voter registration form.

If you meet the first three requirements, but do not have a proper photo ID, you may still be eligible to vote but you will need to fill out a mail-in voter registration form which can be found here.

For questions about your voting eligibility due to a prior felony conviction, click or tap here.

ARKANSAS

The deadline to register to vote for the November 3, 2020 election was Monday, October 5.

For future elections, you can register to vote in Arkansas if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen
• You will be at least 18 years old on or before election day
• You are a resident of Arkansas
• You have not been judged as mentally incompetent to vote by a court
• You have not been convicted of a felony or your sentence has already been discharged or pardoned.

Arkansas only accepts voter registration applications on paper forms; there is no online submission.

You can print a voter registration form by clicking or tapping here.

You can request a paper form by mail here.

You can also get a voter registration form by calling the Arkansas Secretary of State Elections Division at 1-800-482-1127 or by visiting one of the following locations in Arkansas:

• Your local county clerk's office
• A local library
• A revenue or DMV location
• A disability agency
• A military recruiting office

You will need to provide either your driver's license number or the last four digits of your social security number on that form. Otherwise, you will check the box indicating you do not have that information.

If you have questions about restoring your voting rights after a felony conviction, ACLU Arkansas has created a guide for that process.

MISSISSIPPI

The deadline to register to vote for the November 3, 2020 election was Monday, October 5.

To register to vote in future elections, Mississippi's voter registration requirements are as follows:

• You are a U.S. citizen
• You will be at least 18 years old on or before election day
• You are a resident of Mississippi and have lived in your current county and city/town for at least 30 days prior to the election.
• You have not been judged as mentally incompetent to vote by a court
• You have not been convicted of a disenfranchising crime or have been pardoned or have had your rights restored by the Governor or the state legislature.

Mississippi only accepts voter registration applications on paper forms; there is no online submission.

You can print a Mississippi voter registration form by clicking or tapping here

You can also register in person at any of the following locations in Mississippi:

• Your circuit clerk's office (use this link for mobile)
• Your Municipal Clerk's office
• The Department of Public Safety (DMV office)

You will need to show your photo ID when you vote for the first time after your registration.