As election officials continue to encourage voters to mail their ballots immediately, there is a way for those who receive their ballots close to Election Day to ensure they will reach the O.C. Pleasant, Jr. Election Operations Center before the deadline.
Ballots mailed from the Bartlett Post Office, 2966 Elmore Rd. on Election Day before 3 p.m. will reach the Shelby County Election Commission before the polls close. Every ballot must have a first-class stamp affixed.
“The Postal Service is implementing extraordinary measures and resources to deliver for Tuesday’s General Election, said Christopher L. Alexander, district manager for USPS Tennessee. “We are working closely with local elections officials to offer ballot delivery on Election Day at 95 post offices across the state.”
The deadline for ballots to reach the Election Commission is 7 p.m. on Election Day.
“Every vote matters, and we want to make sure that every legal vote is counted,” said Mark Goins, coordinator of elections for the State of Tennessee.
The designated Election Day post office in each county is the one from which the county election commission receives its mail. The mail for Election Commission Operations Center is delivered to a P.O. box located inside the Bartlett Post Office.
Post offices in some parts of the state close at 3:30 p.m., which is why the statewide mandate requires the 3 p.m. cutoff for same-day delivery mailing.
“We are so pleased the Postal Service and the Secretary of State are able to provide this service on Election Day,” said Linda Phillips, administrator of elections for SCEC.
Voters across the state can check on the status of their absentee ballots at the Secretary of State’s website, www.govotetn.com, using the ballot tracking feature. Information on the site lags a day.
