News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County is expecting a turnout of about 1,000 early voters a day when early voting starts on Wednesday.
Elections Administrator Michele Honeycutt said last presidential election the county saw between 900 to 1,100 early voters a day, and expects that to continue. Honeycutt said the amount of early voters in Putnam has led to less confusion over the differences in absentee and early, but it does still exist.
“Sometimes people think like, because there’s so much news about the absentee, they’re not aware of early voting,” Honeycutt said. “So, we do try to make sure people know when they call that we will have early voting for 14 days and it’s six days a week.”
Honeycutt said they are asking for people to wear masks but they are not mandated. A Tennessee or U.S. Government photo ID are other items to bring, but you will not need to answer any questions like absentee voting.
“For early voting they can just come in, absentee there’s quite a few reasons they can mark on that if it’s absentee,” Honeycutt said. “For early voting, anyone can come in and vote early.”
There are 6 days a week you can vote early until October 29. Honeycutt said four years ago it seemed busy the whole day, but is the busiest during lunch and after work hours. However, Honeycutt said things are being set up to keep the line moving.
“We will have a covered area out in the front where people can line up in just in case it’s raining,” Honeycutt said. “We work the line pretty fast, we have five stations here checking people in, we have 10 voting machines going, it’s a short ballot so the line should move quickly.”
Early voters will also be asked not to wear anything political that is on the ballot. Political t-shirts will be asked to be turned inside out, and a surgical mask will be given out to cover political face masks.
Early voting on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday will run from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM.
Thursday will run from 8:00 AM until 7:00 PM and Saturdays will run from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Early voting is done at 705 County Services Drive.
For other locations around the Upper Cumberland, early voting can be done with the information below.
In Overton County early voting will be at 312 W Broad Street in Livingston. Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM.
In Clay County early voting will be at 145 Cordell Hull Drive in Celina. Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM, resuming again from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM.
In White County early voting will be at 1 East Bockman Way in Sparta. Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Tuesday and Thursday voting will be from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM.
In Pickett County early voting will be at 105 South Main Street in Byrdstown. Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM.
