Shelbyville and the rest of Bedford County will be back at the ballot box on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, as voters decide a slate of county primary races that shape who runs local government. Polls are set to be open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and election officials are stressing that residents must vote at the precinct where they are registered. The county has posted precinct locations and sample-ballot PDFs so voters can double-check where to go and what they will see on their ballot before walking into the booth.
Where to vote and how to check your ballot
Poll hours, the precinct rule, and links to the Republican and Democratic sample ballots for May 5 are all posted on the county's Elections page, according to Bedford County Elections. Voters who are unsure of their assigned location can look up their exact polling place and see a voter-specific sample ballot through the state's Tennessee Voter Lookup tool. The county site also lays out absentee-ballot instructions and deadlines tied to this primary.
Selected precincts to know
A county Facebook post highlights several of the busier polling places. In Shelbyville, Precinct 203 will vote at the Agriculture & Education Center at 2119 Midland Rd, while Precinct 403 will be at the Bedford WBTS Community Club at 2020 Hwy 64 W. Outside the city, the post notes that Precinct 101 votes at Wartrace Baptist Church, Precinct 102 at the Bell Buckle Webb School gym, and Precinct 303 at Community Elementary School in Unionville. The full list of precincts, along with any last-minute updates, is available in the county's post on the Bedford County, Tennessee's Facebook page.
What to bring and a legal note
Tennessee is classified as a strict photo-ID state, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, so showing up with an accepted government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport, is the simplest way to avoid delays at check-in. Voters who cannot present a qualifying photo ID may be given a provisional ballot and may have to complete additional steps after Election Day for that ballot to be counted. Anyone unsure about which IDs are acceptable or how to obtain a free voter photo ID can contact the local election office or review the state election resources before heading to the polls.
Need help or last-minute changes?
Voters who still are not sure where to go can call the Bedford County Election Commission at (931) 684-0531 or visit the county's Elections page for sample ballots, absentee guidance, and location details. The election office is listed at 100 Public Square West, Basement, in Shelbyville, in the state's voter directory at GoVoteTN. According to the county's Facebook post, absentee and provisional counting boards will operate at the election office for this primary, and staff there can answer last-minute questions about same-day voting procedures.
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