Early Voting Ends Thursday

Early voting in Tennessee ends on Thursday, Nov. 1.

Across the state, early voting has been very strong in its first six days. As of Oct. 25, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett reported that more than 700,000 ballots had already been cast.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Precincts will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All voters must show a photo ID before they are allowed to vote. The new Tennessee law allows voters to cast provisional ballots if they arrive at the polls without photo ID, but they must then appear at their local election commission within two days after the election to have their votes counted.

In Franklin County, early voting will be on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Franklin County Election Commission office; 829 Dinah Shore Blvd., Winchester. On Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 29–30, the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On the final two days of early voting, Wednesday, Oct. 31 and Thursday, Nov. 1, the office will be open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Anyone who requested and received an absentee ballot must return it by Nov. 6. For more information call the Franklin County Election Commission at 967-1893.

Early voting in Grundy County is at two locations: the Election Commission Office, located at the Courthouse in Altamont or at 10218 U.S. Highway 41 (formerly the site of Sharron’s Beauty Shoppe between Monteagle and Tracy City).

Monteagle City voters who live in Marion or Franklin counties will vote in their regular polling locations; to vote in the Monteagle City elections, however, those voters will need to go to the Monteagle City Hall Annex. 

Hargett reminds voters to participate in the new “Tennessee Honor Vote” program, which provides citizens with an opportunity to dedicate their votes in the upcoming election to the servicemen and servicewomen of their choice.

A new page has been developed on the Secretary of State’s website where people may sign up and dedicate a personal message to one or more active or retired members of the armed forces. Go to < http://tnsos.net/Elections/honor_vote/form.php>.