Vote 2026: Build Power at the Ballot Box
Voting is one tool we have to build power together.
At CALEB, we know change doesn’t come from elections alone. It comes from organized communities shaping the decisions that impact our lives. That’s why we practice Integrated Voter Engagement: connecting year-round organizing with the moments when our communities show up at the ballot box.
At CALEB, we know change doesn’t come from elections alone. It comes from organized communities shaping the decisions that impact our lives. That’s why we practice Integrated Voter Engagement: connecting year-round organizing with the moments when our communities show up at the ballot box.
2026 Election Dates
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Make Your Plan to Vote
A plan makes it more likely you’ll follow through. Take a few minutes to map it out:
1. Check your registration
- 6 weeks before the election, check your voter registration status by clicking here. This gives you time to register or make changes.
- If you are not yet registered to vote:
- Check Tennessee’s eligibility requirements
- Register online OR register by completing a Voter Registration Application delivered to your local county election commission
2. Decide how you’ll vote
Will you vote early, on Election Day, or by mail (if eligible)?
- Absentee/Mail-In Voting
- If you have a disability, are 60 or older, or will be away from home on Election Day, you can vote by mail in Tennessee. Click here for the full list of eligibility requirements.
- An absentee voter can request an absentee ballot application no greater than 90 days and no later than 10 days before the election. Find your application to send to your county election commission here.
- If you have a disability, are 60 or older, or will be away from home on Election Day, you can vote by mail in Tennessee. Click here for the full list of eligibility requirements.
3. Get ready to vote in person
- Decide if you will vote during early voting season or on election day.
- Find your polling location by clicking here.
- Make sure you have an accepted photo ID (even if it’s expired). This is required to vote.
- Do you need support getting an accepted ID to vote? Check out VoteRiders by clicking here or calling/texting 866-432-8683.
- Decide how you will get to and from your polling location. Make your transportation plans ahead of time - don’t wait until election day!
4. Review your ballot
- Click here to find a sample ballot to see what and who you’ll be voting for.
- From there, you can research candidates and how they relate to the issues that matter most to you. Scroll down to our voter guide to see how some school board candidates are talking about public education!
5. Share your plan
Talking to people you trust makes it more likely they’ll vote too.
Take the Pledge
I commit to voting in the 2026 election cycle and showing up for my community at the ballot box.
Building Strong Public Schools - 2026 Voter Guide
This guide is designed to help our community better understand candidates in the local school board election and how their positions connect to public education.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CALEB does not endorse or oppose candidates for public office. This guide is for educational purposes and reflects our commitment to informed, community-centered participation in local elections.
Not all candidates are included in this guide, as it reflects responses from those who completed our questionnaire.
