Early Voting Starts Today In Sullivan County

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Although it’s not as busy as Election Day, the staff at the YWCA of Bristol can tell when early voting starts.

“We just open the doors and let the people come in,” said Tammy Henkel, the YWCA’s director of operations. “There can be some hot times during the lunch break.”

In addition to the YWCA of Bristol, early voting in Sullivan County for the Nov. 4 election starts at 9 a.m. today at Kingsport’s Civic Auditorium and the Sullivan County Election Commission’s office in Blountville.

Until the early voting period ends Oct. 30, the three centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Both Henkel and County Elections Administrator Gena Frye expect a high turnout for early voting and on Election Day.

“There’s just a high interest in voting,” Henkel said. “I know that with this being a presidential election [turnout is] going to be big.”

Just less than half, or 48.3 percent, of Sullivan County’s 63,391 voters in the 2004 presidential election cast ballots during the early voting period, according to the Tennessee Division of Elections.

Even bigger numbers are expected to stop by the county’s early voting centers this year, given that 89,869 people have registered to vote. That’s 817 more registered voters than in 2004, and as Frye puts it, “the highest [number of registered voters] I’ve ever seen.”

Only 46,463 of the county’s 89,368 voters cast ballots during the November 2006 election, with 53.2 percent filing ballots during the early voting period.

Virginia has no early voting period. People who cannot make it to the polls on Election Day have until Oct. 28 to request an absentee ballot at their local registrar’s office or through the Virginia State Board of Election’s Web site at http://www.sbe.virginia.gov.

Tennessee voters can request an absentee ballot at their local board of elections office and also have until Oct. 28 to file their applications.

While the presidential race is this election’s biggest draw, Sullivan County voters also will decide the following contests:

* The 1st District U.S. House of Representatives seat: Republican Phil Roe is running against Democrat Rob Russell.
* U.S. Senate: incumbent Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., is running against Democrat Robert Tuke.
* The 2nd District state Senate seat: Democrat Bill Jones is running against incumbent Ron Ramsey, a Republican.
* The 1st District state House of Representatives: incumbent Jon Lundberg, a Republican, is running against Democrat Michael Surgenor.
* The 2nd District state House of Representatives seat: Republican Tony Shipley is challenging incumbent Nathan Vaughn, a Democrat.
* Bluff City recall: City voters will be asked if they want Mayor Todd Malone, Vice Mayor J.C. Gentry, Alderman Don Weaver and Alderwoman Irene Wells to surrender their seats on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

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