Tennessee voter registration ranked 42nd in US in 2022, new report finds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new report by a Tennessee think tank, ThinkTennessee, found the Volunteer State has consistently trailed behind other states when it comes to voter registration rates.

The ThinkTennessee report said in 2022, TN was 42nd in the country for voter registration rates, and 41st in 2020. Meanwhile, in 2020, nearby states including Georgia ranked 28th, Kentucky ranked 23rd, and Alabama ranked 21st, according to the data.

“I was a little dismayed especially when our comparison to other states in the South, which makes me feel like this isn’t just a Southern thing, it’s a Tennessee problem, thankfully with Tennessee solutions I hope,” Adam Altendorf, the organizing director for Organize Tennessee said.

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According to the report, 42 out of Tennessee’s 95 counties had a voter registration rate of above 85%, which is around the national average. While 16 of those counties had voter registration rates above 90%, eight had registration rates below 75%, and all of them were rural.

Altendorf told News 2 the easiest way to register to vote is online, but a TN ID is required, which needs to be obtained in person, presenting challenges for some.

“That’s why I think voter registration in rural areas is a little lower because a lot of counties don’t have DMV’s, so you have to drive 45 minutes or an hour to get to your county courthouse or the clerk’s office to go do that stuff,” Altendorf said. “It just takes more time. It’s a little bit less accessible in rural areas.”

In addition, Tennessee is one of seven states that require voters to register at least 30 days before the election, the furthest in advance, while other states offer same-day registration.

However, Altendorf said accessibility is just one issue at play.

“Voter registration is an institutional access system issue, but it also has an overlapping issue with rising incarceration rates in the state,” Altendorf said.

According to the Sentencing Project, Tennessee denies the right to vote to more people with a felony conviction than 49 other states, falling second to Florida.

In addition, a 2023 Tennessee policy change due to a Supreme Court ruling made it more difficult for felons to cast a ballot after they served their time. It requires a convicted felon in Tennessee who wants their voting rights restored to first have their gun rights restored.

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“It’s tough because once you get a felony in Tennessee, it’s really tough to get your rights back,” Altendorf said. “The system is not transparent, it’s really opaque, and you almost need a team of lawyers just to get your voting rights back.”

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