Amends TCA Title 2.

Present law provides for a pilot project in Monroe, Wilson, and Williamson counties to determine whether convenient voting centers could successfully be established for local and state elections to make it convenient for voters to vote at centralized voting areas on election day in the county in which the voter is registered, regardless of the voter's precinct. The pilot project applied to local elections conducted in 2019 and federal, state, and local elections held in 2020. Also, Rutherford County, which previously engaged in such a pilot project, is authorized under present law to create a permanent convenient voting centers program for federal, state, and local elections. This bill replaces the expired pilot project provisions and the Rutherford County-specific provisions with a statewide authorization for counties to establish convenient voting centers for local and state elections. The requirements for convenient voting centers under this bill are the same as those under the present law provisions, as discussed below. A county may exercise the authority granted in this bill by adopting a resolution by a super majority vote of its county election commission. A super majority of at least four of the five county election commissioners must approve the resolution. The super majority vote is also required to establish the number and locations of convenient centers in the county. Upon affirmative vote by the super majority vote of the county election commission, the commission must submit to the coordinator of elections a project plan for the convenient voting centers. The coordinator's approval is required prior to the county election commission implementing the plan. After the required approval of the project plan for the convenient voting centers, the county election commission may create a program that establishes convenient voting centers within the county. If convenient voting centers are used in the election, the county election commission will not be limited by the present law provision for elections to be held at polling places designated by the election commission. However, no polling location may be changed within 10 days of an election except in an emergency. Each convenient voting center must have a secure electronic connection, certified by the coordinator of elections, to the computerized voter registration system maintained by the county election commission permitting all voting information processed by any computer at a convenient voting center to be immediately accessible to all other computers at all convenient voting centers in the county. The secure electronic connection must be sufficient to prevent a voter from voting more than once and to prevent unauthorized access to the computerized voter registration system. Taking into consideration all facts and circumstances, the county election commission must determine the number of convenient voting centers to be used in the county election. For every 10,000 registered voters, the county election commission must locate at least one convenient voting center; provided, that each county election commission must locate at least two convenient voting centers within a county. In determining the location of the convenient voting centers, the county election commission shall consider the density of the county population, the geographic dividers, and other facts and circumstances that exist within the county. If the county election commission establishes convenient voting centers, then the county election commission must publish in a newspaper of general circulation the location of the convenient voting centers not less than 30 days before the election. The county election commission must mail to each registered voter a notice containing a list of the convenient voting centers located within the county. If more than one registered voter is at the same address, then only one notice may be sent to that address. Furthermore, immediately after the establishment of a convenient voting center, the county election commission shall give written notification of the changes to the office of local government, the comptroller of the treasury, and the coordinator of elections. Convenient voting centers must be open for voting for a minimum of 10 continuous hours but no more than 13 hours. Convenient voting centers in the eastern time zone must close at 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, and convenient voting centers in the central time zone must close at 7:00 p.m. prevailing time. At least 15 days before the date of each election, the county election commission shall determine a uniform time for the opening of all convenient voting centers. This bill requires the coordinator of elections to file a report with the state and local government committee of the senate and the local government committee of the house of representatives by January 31 following an election conducted under this bill.