WHB/2/1
Sponsored by Alison Andrews, Hannah Kang of Ravenwood High School
This legislation was filed in the General Services category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Section 1: Terms in this act, unless the context requires otherwise, shall be defined as follows: |
| 4 | a) Same-day voter registration: Same-day voter registration allows voters to visit their local |
| 5 | polling place on Election Day and register to vote. Once they complete their registration, they can |
| 6 | go directly to a voting booth and cast their ballot. |
| 7 | b) Eligible individuals: An individual eligible to vote in the given election (must fit within standards |
| 8 | outlined in section 3). |
| 9 | c) CVR (Conditional Voter Registration) provisional ballot: A ballot casted before one’s registration |
| 10 | is deemed effective. Casted by voters whose names are not yet listed on the official voter |
| 11 | registration list at the polling location. |
| 12 | d) Class D felony: A crime with possible sentences of 2 to 12 years in prison and fines up to |
| 13 | $5,000 in Tennessee |
| 14 | e) Affidavit: A written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court. |
| 15 | f) Precinct: A district of a city or town as defined for police purposes. |
| 16 | g) Canvass: The process of verifying and counting the votes cast in an election after the polls have |
| 17 | closed. This deadline occurs shortly after the election day and allows for the verification of |
| 18 | provisional ballots. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | Section 2: In order to combat Tennessee’s low voter turnout, the state will allow same-day voter |
| 21 | registration. A person who is eligible to register to vote may register on Election Day by appearing |
| 22 | in person at the polling place for the precinct in which the individual resides, completing a voter |
| 23 | registration application, making a written oath in the form of a signed self-affirmation affidavit, |
| 24 | and providing proof of identity and residence. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Section 3: A person is allow to participate in same day voter registration if: |
| 27 | a) They are a US citizen eligible to vote |
| 28 | b) They are 18 years or older before or on the day of the election |
| 29 | c) Provide proof of identity and state residency per Tennessee law |
| 30 | d) Has not been included on a roster for that election in another county in the state |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Section 4: Officials will offer a CVR provisional ballot to a registrant if they first verify that the |
| 33 | registrant is eligible, has not voted, and has not been included on a roster for that election in |
| 34 | another county in the state. The election official must then update the voter's record to indicate |
| 35 | that the voter has already voted. If these nullifying conditions do not apply, then the voter is |
| 36 | issued a CVR provisional ballot. |
| 37 | |
| 38 | Section 5: Election officials will be trained to verify information of same-day registrants, usually |
| 39 | after the election. This will inform them on how to verify eligibility, process registration forms, and |
| 40 | assist voters. |
| 41 | Checks will be done through the statewide voter registration database either through an e-poll |
| 42 | book or by connecting to the TN Election Division at the office. When CVR occurs on Election Day, |
| 43 | wherever it takes place, the elections official will wait until all polling place ballots are logged |
| 44 | before counting a CVR provisional ballot. An election official has until the close of the canvass to |
| 45 | count or reject a CVR provisional ballot. |
| 46 | |
| 47 | Section 6: Providing false information about voter status is a class D felony. |
| 48 | |
| 49 | Section 7: The addition of this system will cost $250,000 and will be funded through the |
| 50 | Tennessee Election Assistance Commission. This funding will go towards training poll workers on |
| 51 | verifying eligibility and CVR ballots, printing voter registration forms, as well as updating |
| 52 | Tennessee’s polling infrastructure for the current voter registration system. |
| 53 | |
| 54 | Section 8: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this are hereby repealed. |
| 55 | |
| 56 | Section 9: This act shall take effect directly after it is passed, in time for the regularly scheduled |
| 57 | general election occurring November 2024. |
| 58 |