L NO. 683

By Cohen

Substituted for: House Bill No. 756

By Hargrove

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 2; Title 2, Chapter 7 and Title 2,
Chapter 8, relative to elections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-140(c)(2), is amended by
designating the existing language as sub-item (A) and adding the following language to be
designated as sub-item (B) and sub-item (C):

(B) A county election commission may establish a centrally located site or sites to
be designated by such commission for voters voting under this subdivision.

(C) If a county election commission elects to establish a centrally located site or
sites, then the official at such former polling location shall notify the voter that the voter
has the option to vote either at the new polling place or at the centrally located site or
sites. If a central location is other than the county election commission office, then such
centrally located site shall be equipped with computer capabilities linked to the county
election commission office to allow the voters records to be changed or corrected in the
same manner as if the voter were to appear at the county election commission office on
election day in order that the voter may cast the appropriate ballot.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-141(b), is amended by
designating the existing language as subdivision (1) and by adding the following language to be
designated as subdivision (2) and subdivision (3):


(2) A county election commission may establish a centrally located site or sites to
be designated by such commission for voters voting under this subsection.


(3) If a county election commission elects to establish a centrally located site or
sites, then the official at such polling location shall notify the voter that the voter has the
option to vote either at the new polling place or at a centrally located site or sites. If a
central location is other than the county election commission office, then such centrally
located site shall be equipped with computer capabilities linked to the county election
commission office to allow the voters records to be changed or corrected in the same
manner as if the voter were to appear at the county election commission office on
election day in order that the voter may cast the appropriate ballot.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-8-113, is amended by adding the
following as a new, appropriately designated subsection:
Chapter No. 307 ]
PUBLIC ACTS, 2003
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(c) Any person trying to receive a party nomination by write-in ballots shall
complete a notice requesting such persons ballots be counted in each county of the
district no later than twenty (20) days before the primary election. Such person shall
only have votes counted in counties where such notice was completed and timely filed.
Write-in candidates for the offices of Governor, United States Senate and United States
House of Representatives shall file their notice with the state coordinator of elections.
The notice shall be on a form prescribed by the coordinator of elections and shall not
require signatures of any person other than the write-in candidate requesting ballots be
counted. The coordinator of elections shall distribute such form to the county election
commissions.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-133, is amended by adding the
following as a new, appropriately designated subsection:

(j) Any person attempting to be elected by write-in ballots shall complete a notice
requesting such persons ballots be counted in each county of the district no later than
twenty (20) days before the general election. Such person shall only have votes
counted in counties where such notice was completed and timely filed. The notice shall
be on a form prescribed by the coordinator of elections and shall not require signatures
of any person other than the write-in candidate requesting ballots be counted. The
coordinator of elections shall distribute such form to the county election commissions.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-2-132, is amended by deleting
subsection (b) in its entirety.
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-111(a), is amended by deleting
the last sentence in its entirety.
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003, the public welfare requiring it.

PASSED: May 28, 2003

APPROVED this
11
th
day
of June
2003