Early Voting Underway
By Mike Steely
Senior Writer
steelym@knoxfocus.com
Voters are in the midst of Early Voting in Knox County and will continue to choose their primary candidates through Thursday, April 28. May 3 is Election Day.
“The first two days were slow but steady,” Election Coordinator Chris Davis told The Focus, adding, “I think it will pick up after Easter.”
Thirty-four county offices are on the ballot and the first day saw 1,106 people voting in person and 489 absentee ballots turned in.
The standard early voting hours are 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturdays at Eternal Life Harvest Center in Five Points, Downtown West, New Harvest Park, Expo Center, Farragut Town Hall, Carter Senior Center and Halls Recreation Center. The Karns Senior Center, City-County Building and Meridian Baptist locations have slightly different early voting hours which can be found online under “Early Voting Daily Schedule” at www.knoxcounty.org/election/
The Downtown West location saw the largest number of voters on the first day with 214 voters. Farragut Town Hall was second followed by Halls and New Harvest Park.
Early voters may choose any voting location and choose the primary they wish; there is no partisan registration in Tennessee.
Most of the Knox County interest focuses on the Republican Primary where voters can choose between incumbent Sheriff Tom Spangler or past Sheriff J. J. Jones. There is no Democratic opponent in that race.
The ballot has 34 offices and a large number of Republican incumbents have primary opposition.
The deadline for the second round of voting, with voters choosing candidates for state and federal and Farragut Municipal offices, was April 7th. The primary for these offices will be held in August when voters will also choose from the Knox County primary winners.
