As the August election draws nearer, local election officials are reminding residents there is still time to register to vote, but time is running out as the deadline is less than two weeks away.

In order to be eligible to participate in the August election, residents must have their voter registration completed by July 3. Registrations delivered in person or through the mail must be received at the Election Commission Office by 4:30 p.m. on July 3, however, online registrations can be accepted up until midnight on that day.

“There is no reason for anybody not to register to vote because it is so easy to do now,” Carter County Administrator of Elections Tracy Harris said.

Those wishing to register can do so in person at the Election Commission Office. They can also pick up registration forms at a number of other locations and deliver or mail them to the Election Office. Forms are available at the Department of Motor Vehicles, Carter County Clerk’s Office, the Carter County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Carter County Health Department, the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library, and the Department of Human Services.

Online registration is simple and provides an option for those whose work schedules might not allow them to pick up a form during office hours, according to Harris. Since the state launched an online voter registration program in September, the Carter County Election Commission has received a significant number of new registrations as well as updates to existing voter registration files.

To register online, Harris said residents can visit www.GoVoteTN.com and click on “Register To Vote Online.” Voters who have already registered can visit the website to update their address, check their registration status, or find there voting precinct, according to Harris.

The system allows a citizen with a driver’s license or photo identification issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security to register to vote online. Each submission through the registration website is checked against the Department’s database while securely obtaining the electronic signature already on file with the state from their license or identification card.

Tech-savvy voters can also utilize the state’s smartphone voting app GoVoteTN to update their voter registration, finding their polling location, or check out a sample ballot. The app is free and available for both iPhone and Android operating systems.

As Harris and her staff work to review and update voter registration records, they are also preparing for early voting for the upcoming election.

Early voting for the August County General Election, as well as the State and Federal Primary Elections, will be held from July 13 through July 28 at the Carter County Election Commission Office. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until Noon during the early voting period.

First Baptist Church is allowing the Election Commission to utilize their parking lot at the corner of Holston Avenue and East G Street as an overflow parking lot during early voting. As part of the agreement with the Election Commission, Harris said the church does not want any political signs erected on their property, and they do not want any vehicles bearing political parked in the lot.

Once early voting begins, the 100-foot boundary rule implemented by the state will be in effect at the Election Commission office since it is an official polling place. Candidates are not allowed to enter the 100-foot boundary area unless they have official business to conduct at the Election Commission Office. Also, campaign volunteers are not allowed to campaign inside the boundary, and no campaign materials such as signs, shirts, hats, literature, or other items can be worn or carried inside the boundary, according to Harris.

During the County Primary Election in May, Harris said she and her staff received several complaints regarding candidates and campaign workers violating the 100-foot boundary rule as well as complaints about the conduct from some campaign volunteers. Harris said all candidates received a copy of the boundary rule in their candidate paperwork and they should review the rule and make sure any individuals campaigning on their behalf are aware of the rule as well.

In addition to the 100-foot boundary rule implemented by the state, the City of Elizabethton’s sign ordinance prevents signs from being placed on the roadside within 35 feet of an intersection. Additionally, per the ordinance, campaign workers standing beside the road are not allowed to stand or sit within 35 feet of an intersection.

For more information on the upcoming August election or voter registration, contact the Carter County Election Commission at 423-542-1822.