NASHVILLE — Tennessee has always sent its sons and daughters to defend America, and this fall the War Department wants every one of them to have a say in the country they protect. “TO OUR WARRIORS—MAKE SURE TO VOTE!” the Department of War told service members, pointing them to FVAP.gov, the Federal Voting Assistance Program, to register and request their ballots.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth made it an order. “We all agree that voting is important,” he said in a Department of War video. “We all agree that at the War Department we serve the best citizens in the country. So how about those who serve our country have every single opportunity to vote? Makes sense to me.” He directed commanders and supervisors at every level to hold a one-day voting stand-down this October, and to keep doing it every election year.
That matters in the Volunteer State, where Tennessee Guard soldiers serve around the world. In January, Gov. Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee visited Soldiers of the Tennessee National Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Balli Airfield in Germany, a reminder that Tennessee’s warriors carry the state’s values wherever they are posted.
Tennessee voters at home have work to do, too. Early voting runs through Thursday, Oct. 29, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and three constitutional amendments are on the ballot. Bring a current or expired photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government, and find your early voting site and sample ballot at GoVoteTN.gov.
Those who serve, and those who love them, can make sure their voices are heard. Watch the Department of War’s message to every warrior in the video above.
