Watch Taylor Swift’s support for Harris and Trump’s reaction after the debate
Taylor Swift used Instagram to support Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump responded in the Spin Room.
Shortly before the presidential election on November 5, hundreds of thousands of people are registering to vote for the first time, many of them young.
A surge began in late July when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy. The vast majority of new registrations were from people under 35. A new surge made headlines after Taylor Swift endorsed Harris following the presidential debate against former President Donald Trump on Sept. 10. Swift directed people to register on Vote.gov. Within 24 hours, more than 400,000 people had visited the site.
For students who live away from home to attend school in Tennessee, registering and voting can be a bit confusing. Here’s a guide on what you need to know, where to register, and how to vote.
Related: Taylor Swift’s support for Harris sends more than 400,000 visitors to Vote.gov
Determine your eligibility
To vote in Tennessee, you must be a U.S. citizen, be at least 18 years old on or before the next election date, and be a resident of the state of Tennessee.
If you have been convicted of a crime, it does not automatically mean you are no longer eligible to register or vote. According to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website, it depends on the crime, date of conviction, expungement of registration and other factors. For more information, visit SOS.tn.gov/elections/guides/restoration-of-voting-rights.
Determine your place of residence
For the rest of this guide, we’ll use a student attending college in Nashville as our main example.
You do not lose your residency status if you study in another city or state. If you live on campus only part of the year and go home for vacations and holidays, this address is generally considered your permanent address. It also determines where you live and where you should register to vote.
So if you’re from Ohio and go to school in Nashville, that means you’ll need to register with your local county election board in Ohio. If you’re from Gallatin, Tennessee, and go to school in Nashville, that means you’ll need to register with the Sumner County election board.
However, there are some exceptions.
What if I’m from Nashville?
If you are a Nashville student studying here, you should still register to vote using your permanent address. Polling locations and your voting precinct depend on your permanent address.
What happens if I live off campus?
If you study in Nashville but live off campus within the city, you must declare your residency there in order to register to vote in Nashville. A full declaration of residency means that your off-campus home is your permanent address that you use for things like your driver’s license, car registration, tax filing, and other official matters.
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Can I use a campus address to establish my residency in Tennessee?
Technically, yes. But there are several critical factors that must be considered, says Jeff Roberts, director of the Davidson County Election Commission.
- Residential address: This is the address of where you will stay overnight, such as a dorm or other on-campus housing.
- Postal address (if different from your residential address): This should be your own campus mailbox. This will ensure that all election mail is delivered to you. Roberts cautions against using the university’s general street address as your mailing address, as any mail sent to that address could be returned by the post office as “undeliverable.”
- timing: The voter registration deadline in Tennessee is Oct. 7. Because voting in Tennessee requires a valid photo ID from the Tennessee government or federal government, Roberts said it’s important to consider whether you have enough time to apply for a new ID to meet that requirement if you’re considering a change of residence from your home state, county or city.
- Scholarships or other support: Some college and university scholarships, grants, or other forms of financial aid are tied to the student’s place of residence. Changing your place of residence may affect your eligibility to receive this aid.
Can I vote by mail?
Voting-by-mail rules vary from state to state. Contact your local election commission or secretary of state for more information.
In Tennessee, students who attend an accredited college or university full-time outside the county in which they are enrolled are allowed to vote by mail. This rule also applies to the spouses of those students. Absentee ballots in Tennessee are sent by mail and must be requested no later than seven days before the election. Your absentee ballot must be mailed so that it arrives at your local election commission on Election Day by the time polls close.
For more information about absentee voting in Tennessee, visit SOS.tn.gov/elections/guides/guide-to-absentee-voting.
Can I vote with my student ID?
No. Tennessee requires a government-issued photo ID to vote. For a list of frequently asked questions, including about valid photo IDs, visit SOS.tn.gov/elections/FAQs.
Find information on voter registration, deadlines and more
Voter registration deadlines vary by state, but some begin as early as 30 days before the election. With the presidential election approaching on November 5, it’s a good idea to check the deadlines for your state as early as possible.
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission is a helpful resource for finding voter information for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Go to EAC.gov and scroll down to find a drop-down menu where you can look up registration and voting information for your state.
For information and resources about voting in Tennessee, visit GoVoteTN.gov.
For more resources and guidelines on voting as a student, visit vote.gov/guide-to-voting/college-student.
