A social media post warning early voters about marks on ballots has stirred confusion online, prompting a response from Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett.
Hargett released a statement on Oct. 14, the first day of early voting in Tennessee, warning voters about a viral social media post falsely claiming that if voters see poll workers write any marking on their ballots, the ballots are invalid.
Not so.
— Tre Hargett (@tnsecofstate) October 14, 2026
“We have received several calls and emails about a false social media post,” Hargett said. “The claim is incorrect. In Tennessee, a ballot is not disqualified simply because an election official or poll worker makes and administrative notation on it.”
The original post claimed that if polls workers “write anything on
your ballot before they give it to you to put in the voting machine…a letter, a checkmark, a letter star, an R or a D (or) any writing of any kind…your ballot will be disqualified.”
The post did not originate in Tennessee, according to a review by The Tennessean.
An article by Snopes,an online fact-checking organization that reviews viral social media claims, has debunked the post when it circulated during past elections as well, including the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections.
The post has prompted previous responses from election officials in some of these elections, including those in North Carolina, Maine and Maryland.
Early voting underway in Tennessee
The message from Hargett comes as early voting begins in Tennessee for the midterm election, with consequential races on the ballot including the next governor, one U.S. senator, nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and state Senate and House members.
Voters will also vote on three constitutional amendments. Two would address criminal justice issues, while the third would limit the state's authority to impose a property tax.
Early voting will run from Oct. 14 to Oct. 23. Find your polling locations here.
Angele Latham’s role covering First Amendment issues at The Tennessean is made possible by a collaboration among Freedom Forum, Journalism Funding Partners and the USA TODAY Network. Freedom Forum does not provide editorial input. Reach Angele Latham at alatham@gannett.com, on X at @angele_latham and on TikTok at @angelelatham.
Statehouse reporter Vivian Jones contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: As early voting begins, TN Secretary of State debunks viral post about ballots
