More than 150 Sullivan County residents voted Wednesday -- the first day of early voting in Tennessee.
Republican and Democratic voters are selecting a presidential primary candidate. Republicans are also selecting delegates to the Republican Presidential Convention.
There are Republican candidates for district attorney, assessor of property and a general sessions judge, but those candidates are unopposed in the primary. The Democratic presidential candidate, President Barack Obama, is also running unopposed.
The process for voting has changed slightly this year. Under a new law, voters are required to show a state or federally issued photo identification. Sullivan County Administrator of Elections Jason Booher said people have had no problem complying with the law.
“We haven’t had an issue with identification,” he said. “The driver’s license has been the main form of ID.”
Bristol voters have a new location for early voting. Rather than voting at the YWCA, ballots can be cast at the National Guard Armory, 611 Bluff City Highway, and the elections commission office in Blountville, at 3258 Highway 126, Suite 103.
For Republicans, the presidential primary is the important race. Tennessee is one of 10 states in the so-called “Super Tuesday” primary. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was thought to be the clear favorite, but recent primary wins by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum have opened up the race.
A recent poll showed Santorum with a slight edge in Tennessee.
Tennessee Rep. Tony Shipley of Kingsport is a Republican delegate candidate for Newt Gingrich and is running Gingrich’s statewide campaign. He said he feels positive about Gingrich’s chances in Tennessee. He won South Carolina, and Shipley said the demographics are similar.
“It’s anybody’s game,” Shipley said. “We have worked hard and will delivery a fair percentage of delegates to Gingrich.”
Shipley said he expects some of the candidates will soon start “carpet bombing” with negative advertisements.
“You have some of the campaigns that can spend a lot of money,” Shipley said.
jshea@bristolnews.com
(276) 645-2511
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