MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A steady stream of voters are making their way in to one of Shelby County’s 27 early voting locations as election day nears.
Elaine Sims is one of them, but she’s without two of her family members.
“I got a couple of aunts that are pretty old. They can’t get out to vote. I think now they do sign-in voting and send it off,” she said.
Her aunts do absentee voting. Shelby County Elections Administrator Linda Phillips says it’s easy as going on their website and filling out a form.
“They have to have their name, address, social security number, date of birth and a reason why they want to absentee vote,” Phillips said.
Anyone over the age of 60 can register to vote absentee. But they must email, fax or deliver their forms to the Shelby County Election Commission by Tuesday night, exactly seven days before the election. Email forms to absenteevoting@shelbycountytn.gov.
After you register, you can vote absentee and mail in your ballot so it arrives by Election Day, Nov. 6.
“I think it’s an excellent idea for people who aren’t able to vote to write in to vote. It’s important,” Sims said.
If you face mobility challenges, there are still other options. Both Shelby County’s Democratic and Republican parties say if you call their offices, they’ll get someone to give you a ride to the polls. And, ride share companies are offering discounts.
“Uber and Lyft are doing that where they’re coming and getting you,” voter Morgan Gaddy said.
Meantime, Shelby County election officials say they visited every registered nursing home and more than 700 seniors voted during those trips.
If you have an emergency in the next week, call the election commission at 901-222 6800 and they can send out a team to any hospital or rehab facility in Shelby County.
