By Laura White and staff
In a recent interview with the Election Commissioner in Union County, Debra Viles explained the process of voting, absentee voting and mail-in voting.
With the upcoming presidential election, many are hearing the arguments that votes are changed or that they weren’t right. As far as Union County goes, something like this happening is nearly impossible, if not actually impossible.
Tennessee does not automatically send out ballots for mail-in voting statewide as do several states, rather, any mail-in ballots must be requested by the individual voters and the process is referred to as absentee voting.
Viles assures us that absentee voting in Union County is authenticated by a rigorous process.
Previously the Union County voting turnout has been rather low, with the 2011 election at 25 percent, and then a double increase in the 2016 presidential election at 54 percent. This year Union County has seen an increase in voter registration and participation looks to be about 55-60 percent in this 2020 presidential election.
Of course, a commander-in-chief is not the only government position we are voting for. Some representative and senator seats are open for election. Union County falls in the Congressional District TN-2 And TN-3. Union County State Senate district is TN-8, and our State House districts are TN-35 and TN-36. Find out exactly which seats are up for election and decide who you will vote for on Election Day. Your community needs to hear your voice.
Absentee voting is a right to vote by mail because of travel, age, work, military service or sickness. Viles says, “It is a very secure process.”
A person must have a specific reason for absentee voting and must have that approved. Anyone over 60 is eligible to vote absentee by mail. Recently there have been slight changes made where many ailments can be reasons to vote as absentee.
Voters must apply by mail, fax or email for an absentee ballot. For the November 3 elections, a ballot must by requested by October 27, although waiting until the deadline may not leave enough time to mail the filled ballot back to the election commission.
The voter must provide their full name, address, reason for applying, social security number and signature (which is compared to the signature on their voter registration). The ballot will be mailed to the voter. Complete information is at sos.tn.gov/elections/absentee-voting.
Tennessee requires that the ballot be returned by mail. Everything a voter signs makes them responsible for the truth of the information, under penalty of perjury. Once everything is compared and approved by the election commission, it is placed (sealed) in a locked ballot box. This box will remain locked until Election Day in November.
The committee knows (by knowing how many applications and ballots were filled out) about how long it will take to count these, and therefore when they should begin counting the votes. When the ballot box is unlocked and opened, it is opened by an equal amount of people, with an equal number representing each political party. When the ballots are counted, if they are counted early, results cannot be released until 8 p.m., EST.
Debra Viles states that she and those she works with “Are very diligent in making sure the ballot is protected.”