Less than 20% of Tennessee voters have voted early with only days left

As October draws to a close, so does the opportunity for Tennessee residents to vote at any polling location in their county during early voting. Election Day is fast approaching, and Tennessee law requires voters to be given the chance to vote early for about two weeks before Election Day, rather t

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What is the story about?

As October draws to a close, so does the opportunity for Tennessee residents to vote at any polling location in their county during early voting.

Election Day is fast approaching, and Tennessee law requires voters to be given the chance to vote early for about two weeks before Election Day, rather than only on Nov. 3. During this period, dozens of polling locations are open across Tennessee, giving voters an opportunity to cast their ballots.

As the state heads into the second week of early voting, fewer than 20% of Tennessee's voters have cast a ballot.

Here's what to know about early voting, which ends before the end of the month.

When does early voting end?

Early voting in Tennessee began on Oct. 14 and runs through Oct. 29.

What is Tennessee voting on during midterms?

In the midterm elections, Tennessee voters will

choose the next governor, one U.S. senator, nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives and members of the state Senate and House.

Voters will also vote on three constitutional amendments. Two would address criminal justice issues, while the third would limit the state's authority to impose a property tax.

Governor candidates

Marsha Blackburn: Republican, U.S. senator
Jerri Green: Democrat, Shelby County chief public defender

U.S. Senate candidates

Marquita Bradshaw: Democrat, environmental activist
Bill Hagerty: Republican, incumbent U.S. senator

To see which representatives and Tennessee state officials will be on your ballot, see a sample ballot here.

Where can voters find early voting times and locations?

No polling sites are assigned during the early voting period; voters may cast a ballot at any early voting location. Voters can find early voting sites on the Tennessee Secretary of State's GoVoteTN website and app.

Early voting locations are open during the day, and some sites are also open in the evenings and on Saturdays. For full details on times and locations, contact your local county election commission office.

What is the deadline to return an absentee ballot in Tennessee?

The deadline to request an absentee ballot was Oct. 24, which is 10 days before Election Day.

For an absentee ballot to be counted, it must be mailed to the local county election commission office via USPS, UPS or FedEx and received by the time polls close on Election Day. This means the commission must receive all absentee ballots by 7 p.m. local time on Nov. 3.

Who is expected to win the governor's race?

A new independent poll found Republican gubernatorial nominee U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn with a 12% lead over Democratic nominee Jerri Green. Blackburn received 44% support, compared with 32% for Green.Independent candidate David Hatley received 12%. The remaining respondents were largely undecided, while 1% said they would support independent Lauren Pinkston.

Blackburn had 74% support among Republicans, while Green had 88% support among Democrats. Independents favored Green at 43%, with 20% supporting Hatley and 16% supporting Blackburn.

How many people have voted in early voting in Tennessee?

In Tennessee, 815,354 voters had cast ballots during the early voting period as of Oct. 24. That represents 16.97% of registered voters in the state and a 51.89% increase from the same point in 2022.

Counties with the highest percent of voter turnout: