Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett addressed false claims circulating on social media about ballot disqualification and confirmed that the state’s Division of Elections Office intercepted a suspicious package as early voting began Wednesday, ahead of the November 3 general election.
In a statement on the first day of early voting, Hargett’s office said it received calls and emails about a social media post falsely claiming ballots would be disqualified if poll workers wrote any notation on them.
The post urged voters to request a new ballot if a poll worker wrote a letter, checkmark, or other marking on it, and it attributed the warning to an unnamed friend who had completed poll worker training.
— Tre Hargett (@tnsecofstate) October 14, 2026
“The claim is incorrect,” Hargett’s office said. “In Tennessee, a ballot is not disqualified simply because an election official or poll worker makes an administrative notation on it.”
The Secretary of State’s office shared a screenshot of the post to address the misinformation and urged voters to consult election officials rather than rely on social media rumors. Voters with questions about election procedures can contact the Division of Elections at 1-877-850-4959.
On Thursday, the second day of early voting, Hargett’s office said it intercepted a suspicious package addressed to the State Division of Elections Office before it reached its destination.
— Tre Hargett (@tnsecofstate) October 15, 2026
“We can confirm that a suspicious package addressed to the State Division of Elections Office was intercepted. The package never reached its intended destination. We appreciate the FBI and USPS for taking election threats seriously,” Hargett said.
The confirmation came as national reports detailed suspicious mailings sent to congressional offices and election officials across the country less than three weeks before Election Day.
According to NBC News, election offices in at least 15 states, including Tennessee, reported suspicious packages.
The FBI said it and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were investigating suspicious mail sent to addresses nationwide, the outlet reported. Some letters contained an unknown substance, and investigators were working to identify those responsible.
Federal election security guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advises election offices to establish procedures to identify suspicious mail and respond to potential exposure to hazardous materials.
Early voting in Tennessee runs through Thursday, October 29. Election Day is November 3.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “People Voting” by Lorie Shaull. CC BY 2.0.
