NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As political parties are beginning to nominate Joe Biden and President Donald Trump as their official nominees for the November election, Tennessee is wading through a confusing topic: who can and cannot vote by mail during November’s election?
On Wednesday, the state’s top election official urged people to send in their applications for voting by mail as soon as possible.
But who is allowed to send in an absentee ballot during COVID-19?
This month, the Tennessee Supreme Court said fear of catching COVID isn’t enough of a reason to vote by mail, and on Wednesday, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett suggested in-person voting for those who are healthy enough to run errands in public.
"If you’re well enough to go to the pharmacy, department store, what have you, then certainly you’d be well enough to go to the polling place," Hargett said.
But that’s not exactly what the high court said. The recent Supreme Court ruling says all you need is a COVID-19 “underlying health condition” like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking, and you “already are eligible to vote absentee by mail.”
The CDC says at least 30% of Tennesseans are obese. With just that one health condition alone, perhaps millions more Tennesseans will now qualify for voting by mail compared to four years ago.
The Tennessee Supreme Court said you are also eligible to vote by mail if you are caring for someone with an underlying COVID-19 health condition.
