Election administrators across the Upper Cumberland reporting strong early voting participation.
Putnam County Administrator of Elections Jennifer Murphy said office has processed 7,023 total ballots through early voting and mail-in absentees, surpassing the total numbers seen during the May early voting period.
“Early voting for August has been kind of wild,” Murphy said. “We have done exceedingly more than what we even expected.”
Overton County Administrator of Elections Craig Story said his office has recorded 2,332 early voters with several days remaining. Story said he anticipates the total turnout could reach 6,000 voters by the time the election concludes.
“Well, it gives more people a voice,” Story said. “More people are, are taking part and participating and, and they get a chance to say who their representatives are going to be and what kind of policies that they’re going to have, and that’s a good thing.”
Murphy said the highest daily turnout during a similar election in August 2022 was 466 voters. Murphy said the presence of every county office on the ballot, with the exception of the assessor of property, has driven the increased interest.
“I think it’s just all the candidates that are on the ballot,” Murphy said. “The offices, you know, it’s the entire county that is up for election except for the assessor of property, so I believe that’s brought a lot of people in.”
Story said local interest is high because many residents have personal connections to the people running for office. Story said approximately half of the total vote typically occurs during the early voting window in Overton County.
“I mean, you’ve got some state primaries that are going on right now, and locally we’ve got quite a few different races that are, that are out there that are on the ballot this time,” Story said. “Got a lot of local candidates that are running for office, so, you know, a lot of people got friends and neighbors that are on the ballot.”
White County Administrator of Elections Sherry Anderson said her county has seen more than 2,600 people vote in person at the election office.
“I think that more people are involved and-and want to vote this time than they did say in the primary for just the local elections,” Anderson said. “And they know that this is, of course, the local general election and it will decide who actually, um, is placed in those offices and they want to be able to be part of that.”
Anderson said the early numbers can help candidates identify where they have been successful in communicating with the public. Anderson said the data provides a guide for candidates to make a final push in specific precincts before Election Day.
“I think that gives them a good idea of where they’ve had their strengths in maybe going out and talking to the people and if it gives them a little bit final push to know the areas that maybe is-is weaker as far as just the number of people who vote in those precincts to get out there and for that final push for Election Day,” Anderson said.
Election officials reminded voters that a state or federal photo identification is required to cast a ballot in person. Story said residents who have moved or changed their names should utilize the early voting period to update their records more easily.
“We just encourage everybody, you know, take advantage of early voting,” Story said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen on election day, how the weather’s going to affect things, any other circumstances that might arise I always like to say life happens.”
Early Voting Ends Saturday.
