The midterm elections are just around the corner and they are shaping up to be one of the most divisive votes in recent memory. With the Senate hanging in the balance, here is everything you need to know for the vote on Nov. 6.
The elections of 2016 gave the U.S. a Republican president and a Republican majority in the House of Representatives with 235-193 seats and in the Senate with 51-49 seats. In November, the entirety of the House of Representatives is up for grabs as well as 34 seats in the Senate.
While voting it would be important to remember the terms and outlooks of the elect. The elect for the House of Representatives will serve for two years while those for the Senate serve for six. The House stands for 435 individual districts in the United States, while two Senate members will represent the entirety of their state for their term.
Prospective voters are expected to register by Oct. 9 and as such, it is now too late to register to vote in the midterm elections.
If you have not registered, do not be discouraged.
Although you may have missed the cutoff date for November, it does not hurt to be prepared for the future.
If you have registered, check to see if you are registered with a site like GoVoteTn.
Tennessee is a state that purges voters after two inactive election cycles.
You will also not be able to vote with an old registration if you have moved counties or changed your name.
However, there is another important deadline to keep in mind: Oct. 30.
For Tennessee, this is the date by which you will need to have registered for absentee voting.
Absentee voting is not for everyone.
If you expect to be away from home on Nov. 6, then prepare ahead of time and register as an absentee.
This is for anyone who knows they cannot be at their designated voting location that they were assigned upon registering.
In Tennessee there are two types of absentee voting, specifically voting in person and voting by mail.
Under Tennessee law, first-time voters that register as an absentee must vote in person – voting by mail is not allowed.
However, those who have voted previously may apply for a vote by mail but must fall under a category of need.
A full list of categories can be found at the website, Vote411.com.
Another important site for residents of Montgomery County and students at APSU is the website, mcgtn.org.
The site provides information on all of the competing candidates as well as a complete list of voting locations and access to information concerning out-of-country military students.
A few locations include St. Bethlehem School on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard, New Providence Methodist Church on Ft. Campbell Boulevard and the Wilma Rudolph Event Center on Cumberland Drive.
There is a grand total of 29 voting locations in Montgomery County.
The process of registering and going out to vote could be tedious with long lines, but voting is an important right for all citizens of the U.S.
