Nashvillians and Tennesseans across the state will be headed to the polls Aug. 6 to cast their ballots for this year's primary races.
Voters will pick candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress and the Tennessee General Assembly. The election comes after an unusually high number of retirements in the state legislature, guaranteeing significant turnover.
Gov. Bill Lee is term-limited, and two U.S. House seats are open in a congressional district map that was overhauled earlier this year.
The ballots also feature several uncontested Davidson County seats for judges, sheriff, court clerk and school board.
The days leading up to the election have been fraught. Lee, who rarely wades
into statehouse primaries, has endorsed five incumbents. He then endorsed Charlie Hatcher over U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the 5th Congressional District race.
There's also been a lot of drama over political ads. U.S. Sen Marsha Blackburn threatened to sue over an AI-produced PAC-sponsored ad dubbing her "the queen pharma mama." In the 6th Congressional District primary, AI-made ads from Van Hilleary's campaign targeted his oponent state Rep. Johnny Garrett.
Follow along for live updates and results from Tennessee's primaries.
Voters head to polls for first time since congressional map changes
11:00 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusDuring this year's primary election cycle, Tennesseans will vote under a new congressional map after lawmakers approved and Gov. Bill Lee enacted the revised map into law on May 7 following a special legislative session.
The new congressional map extensively edited Tennessee's former map, splitting Memphis into three districts, dissolving the state's only majority-Black district, and the Nashville area into five.
Here is how to find your district and voter precinct for the 2026 primary elections in Tennessee.
Slow start at the polls for primaries
10:30 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusThere were more campaign signs than voters.
Polls opened at the Hermitage branch of the Nashville Public Library with no fanfare. A lone man stood outside tugging on the locked doors at 6:59 a.m.
A minute later, he was let in and five minutes after that he moseyed out with an “I voted” sticker clutched between his fingers.
Rita Redmond, the precinct officer, hustled around getting all the paperwork just right a little after 7 a.m.
“We opened on time, she said, but we’re about four people short so we’re a little behind,” she explained.
There was a lone, four-computer pod in the room and three poll workers ready to check people in. An early voting location, the Hermitage library is often packed in the weeks leading up to election day with two tables of poll workers and at least eight computers.
Redmond has been working the polls for about 25 years, she said, and “you never can tell what a day will be like.”
“We’ve already had three redirects,” she said explaining that people have come to the library when they are actually assigned to the Hermitage Community Center, a precinct so close to the library you can see it out the window.
Of the two dozen people who’d come to the library by 7:40 a.m., at least half were redirected to take the short walk. James Ruffin, 29, was one of those people.
“It’s literally right there,” he said pointing across the library. “I’ve voted there, I’ve voted here. My sample ballot told me here this time. I guess I’ll take a little walk.”
When he gets to the community center, Ruffin said he’s most focused on the race for governor and the U.S. Senate.
“I just feel like those two races have the potential for the most impact on my life,” he said.
How many people voted early in Nashville?
10:00 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusEarly voting in Nashville kicked off on July 17 with a slow start.
After 14 days of early voting, more than 50,500 people in Nashville voted, according to data kept by the Davidson County Election Commission. That’s 12.58% of active voters in Nashville.
Can you buy alcohol on election day?
09:40 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusHoping to raise a glass of champagne in a toast to the winners, or soften the blow of a loss with a beer?
Good news: You can do that.
Tennessee does not place restrictions on the sale of alcohol on election day, like it does on holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The regular sale hours apply from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at a grocery or liquor store, and until 3 a.m. at bars and restaurants.
Who is running for governor in Tennessee?
09:20 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusSeveral people are running for governor on both the Republican and Democratic ballots.
On the Republican ballot, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn faces off against U.S. Rep. John Rose and Tennessee Rep. Monty Fritts.
The Democratic ballot is a little more crowded with five people running for the ticket including a former university dean, a military veteran, a Memphis city councilwoman, a musician and a pastor. Jerri Green, the lawyer turned Memphis councilwoman, is largely considered to be the frontrunner of the Democratic ballot.
What ID do I need to vote at the polls in Nashville?
09:00 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusTennessee requires a state or government-issued photo ID to vote.
Acceptable IDs include:
- A Tennessee driver’s license with your photo
- United States passport
- Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
- Photo ID issued by the federal or the state of Tennessee government
- United States military photo ID
- A Tennessee handgun carry permit with your photo
Do I need to be registered to a party to vote in that primary?
08:40 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusTennessee has open primaries, meaning voters do not register with a political party. That means voters can pick either a Republican or Democratic primary ballot when they go to the polls.
If you voted Republican in the last primary, you can vote Democratic in this one and vice versa.
In the event there’s a runoff, people who voted on the opposite party’s ballot cannot vote in the runoff.
Is it illegal to hand out water or snacks at a polling place?
08:20 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusLuckily, this isn't Georgia.
It is not illegal in Tennessee to hand out snacks or water to people standing in line waititng to cast their ballot.
Georgia made news in in 2021 when it passed the Election Integrity Act that, among other things, added restrictions on snacks and water within 100 feet of polling places or 25 feet of anyone waiting in line to vote. Montana has a similar law but only specifically restricts candidates or their families from handing out food or water.
Tennessee does ban candidates from influencing, soliciting or using political persuasion at the polls. So if you're handed water and there's a candidate's face on it, that's not allowed.
Am I allowed to wear swag promoting a candidate into the polling place?
08:01 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusTake off that candidate button and put away the slogan hats: You can't wear them inside your polling place.
Campaign merchandise of any kind is not allowed within polling locations or within 100 feet of the building, and this includes T-shirts. Poll workers are allowed to turn you away and ask you to return without candidate merchandise, or ask you to cover up.
This includes items like:
- Campaign apparel
- Campaign buttons
- Campaign stickers
- Campaign placards
- Campaign materials
- Campaign signs
- Campaign banners
- Campaign literature
Downtown Nashville Library polling location moved
07:40 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusIf you are used to voting at the downtown branch of the Nashville Public Library, your polling location has changed.
“Due to the ongoing closure of the Downtown Library parking garage, voters assigned to District 19 – Precinct 5 (Downtown Library) will temporarily vote at the Howard Office Building,” the Davidson County Election Commission said.
The Howard Office Building is at 700 President Ronald Reagan Way.
Where is my polling location in Nashville?
07:20 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusRegistered voters can find their polling location through the Davidson County election day polling place finder online.
The Davidson County Election Commission offers a clickable map, or you can enter your address to find your polling location.
Your polling location is also listed on your voter registration card.
Where can I find a 2026 sample primary ballot?
07:01 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusThe Davidson County Election Commission publishes a sample ballot for each election on its website.
The sample ballots include both a Republican and a Democratic ballot.
What races are on the ballot in Nashville?
06:40 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusThe biggest race on the ballot will determine the nominees to be the next governor of Tennessee. Ballots will feature only Republican or Democratic candidates depending on which ballot you ask for at the polls.
Regardless, both ballots will contain both state and federal primary seats as well as some general election seats in Davidson County.
State and federal races on the ballot include:
- Tennessee governor
- Tennessee Senate
- Tennessee House of Representatives
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. House of Representatives
In the general election, none of the Davidson County races are contested.
Can I register to vote on election day in Tennessee?
06:20 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusTennessee does not offer election day voter registration.
To participate in an election in Tennessee, a “qualified voter must be properly registered no later than 30 days before the election,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office said.
In order to vote in the Nov. 3 election, register by Oct. 5 at GoVoteTN.gov.
When do polls open in Nashville?
06:08 AM ET, August 6 2026, Kirsten FiscusAll polling locations in Nashville open for the primary elections at 7 a.m.
They’ll remain open for 12 hours and close at 7 p.m.
Polls in the eastern time zone are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennesseans head to polls to vote in primary election: live updates
