Today is last day to register to vote for Chattanooga elections

Chattanoogans who want to vote in the city's March 7 municipal election must register by Monday.

Voters will decide who will be Chattanooga's next mayor and six of nine of its City Council members. Three candidates have no challengers: incumbents Ken Smith and Carol Berz of Districts 3 and 6, respectively, and newcomer Darrin Ledford of District 4.

Voting in the Chattanooga election is paramount, Hamilton County Election Commissioner Kelvin Scott said recently.

"While the presidential elections are important and draw the voters, people need to understand local government will have a greater impact on their day-to-day lives," he said.

Berz has opened her Brainerd Village council office, located at 5896 Brainerd Road, to help boost voter participation, hosting both registration and early voting events in the coming weeks.

"We don't care what district you're from or who you plan to vote for," Berz has said. "We just want people to get out and vote."

She invites people to come out Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to fill out registration applications and have a free lunch. Her office will mail applications to the Election Commission by the end of the day. Berz's office will also shuttle people to early voting sites on Feb. 18 and Feb. 25.

To register to vote, you must be a United States citizen, a legal resident of the county where you will vote and 18 years of age or older by the date of the election. To vote in the Chattanooga municipal election, the elections office must receive your registration by the Feb. 6 deadline if delivered by hand, or postmarked by that date if mailed. The office will reject a registration with a missing or incomplete Social Security number, signature or other deficiency.

Convicted felons can't vote unless their rights have been restored.

Voters must present a photo ID, issued by the State of Tennessee or the federal government. The list of approved IDs includes, but is not limited to, Tennessee driver's licenses, U.S. passports and military IDs. College student IDs are not accepted.

Officials warn voters not to assume they will be able to vote just because they have proper ID and have already registered.

The Hamilton County Elections Office cautions people to check their voter registration status.

"As required by law, all 95 County Election Offices in Tennessee purge voter registration records on a daily basis," reads the Election Commission website. "Upon receipt of notice that John Q. Public has registered in another county or state, his name is immediately purged from the Hamilton County voter database. Should Mr. Public attempt to vote in Hamilton County, he will be advised that he was purged from our records when he registered elsewhere."

Voters can review their information by clicking on "My Voting Information" on the Voter Info tab at the Hamilton County Election Commission website: elect.hamiltontn.gov.

Terry Lee, chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, has called on voters to check with the elections office, especially if they have not voted in a while.

"If you don't find out until Election Day that your records have been purged, you will have your voting rights disenfranchised," Lee has said.

Tony Sanders, chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party, could not be reached for comment.

Early voting takes place Feb. 15-March 2. March 7 is Election Day.

Contact staff writer Paul Leach at 423-757-6481 or pleach@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @pleach_tfp.