2023 Tennessee Code › Title 2 - ELECTIONS (§§ 2-1-101 — 2-20-109) › Chapter 5 - BALLOTS AND SUPPLIES (§§ 2-5-101 — 2-5-219) › Part 2 - BALLOTS AND SUPPLIES (§§ 2-5-201 — 2-5-219) › Section 2-5-207 - Form of paper ballots

(a)
The state election commission shall establish a uniform maximum and minimum width for all paper ballots. Paper ballots shall be of such length and width as the county election commission deems necessary to contain the offices, names of the candidates, and questions required to be printed, with a stub containing a number.
(b)
(1)
On the front or back of paper ballots shall be conspicuously printed the words, "Official Ballot for (General) ( ______________ Party Primary) Election," followed by the designation of the polling place for which the ballot is prepared, the date of the election, and the names of the members of the county election commission holding the election. The size of the print shall not be less than ten (10) point font.
(2)
Except for ballots authorized by state or federal law to be delivered electronically to qualified voters who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot, all absentee ballots must include a watermark approved by the coordinator of elections. The coordinator of elections may define the method and type of watermark to be placed on the absentee ballot and may authorize the use of invisible ink or pre-printed opaque images to produce the watermark. The watermark must be easily discernible for verification purposes by the absentee counting board.
(c)
Except in counties using an electronic ballot marking system or ballot-on-demand technology approved by the coordinator of elections, all paper ballots for use in a polling place must be fastened together in convenient numbers in books so that each ballot may be detached and removed separately. Each stub must be attached to the ballot so that when the ballot is folded, the stub can be detached without injury to the ballot and without exposing its contents. Each stub must be serially numbered by the printer, and no two (2) ballots for use in a single precinct may have the same number. The commission shall keep a record of the numbers of the ballots supplied to each polling place.
(d)
(1)
On paper ballots, the titles of the offices shall be printed vertically on the left side of the ballot. There shall be a sufficient number of columns to list all political party nominees, independents and uncontested races, each political party and the independents having a column of its own. Any candidate whose name is to be placed on the ballot by virtue of party nomination shall be listed in the political column of the candidate's party, opposite the title of the office the candidate seeks. The independent candidate's name shall also be placed opposite the title of the office such candidate seeks. One (1) column will be left blank for each race, for the purpose of write-in candidates.
(2)
Whenever primary elections are being held to select nominees, the names of the candidates shall be listed in alphabetical order, according to the initials of their surname, beginning with the first initial, in the column of their respective political party.
(e)
The county election commission of each county shall prepare a sample ballot of all candidates and submit this sample ballot to the coordinator of elections for approval. The absentee sample ballot must contain a watermark approved by the coordinator of elections. The sample ballots provided to the public pursuant to §
2-5-211
shall not contain the approved watermark. A ballot shall not be printed or funds expended therefor by any county until such approval has been granted.
(f)
The coordinator of elections shall determine distinguishable colors to be used in the printing of the ballot envelopes for early voting and absentee voting. Both envelopes shall include a place for the voter's precinct and district number and a statement for the administrator of elections to sign stating that the voter's signature has been verified and appears to be valid. The absentee voting ballot envelope need not contain a certificate for an attesting official.
Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 965, s 4, eff. 5/2/2022.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 374, s 3, eff. 1/1/2022.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 374, s 2, eff. 1/1/2022.
Amended by 2020 Tenn. Acts, ch. 655, s 1, eff. 4/2/2020.
Acts 1972, ch. 740, § 1; 1975, ch. 353, § 3; T.C.A., § 2-513; Acts 1988, ch. 933, § 7; 1994, ch. 859, § 8; 2007 , ch. 125, § 2.