Voting Precincts Seeing Steady Turnout, Some Counties Seeing Drop Off Compared To August

It is a mixed bag of voting turnout for the Upper Cumberland as voters participate in state races and a few scattered local races across the region.

Pickett County Election Administrator Tim Clark said turnout is down considerably compared to August mainly due to the lack of local races.

“Here in Pickett County we are having a moderate turnout,” Clark said. “It is a little bit less than it was four years ago. In our August election, we had county races. That seems to have a lot more turnout and interest.”

Pickett County has two local issues on the ballot, a runoff election for the District 3 school board seat and a liquor-by-the-drink referendum for Byrdstown residents.

Clay County has seen a similar situation with about half as many voters compared to the August election. That is according to Election Administrator Monica Davis. Davis said turnout has still been steady though.

Overton County Election Administrator Craig Story said his precincts have seen a good turnout. He said precincts even had lines outside the door before polls opened Tuesday morning.

“I think nationally, the feeling that you get nationally, the things you see on the news every night there’s a lot of that’s bringing people to the poles today,” Story said. “Then we’ve got a couple of local things, I say local, some multi-county things that Overton County is able to vote in.”

Fentress County has also seen a steady turnout. Administrator Joey Williams said they expect a steady line of voters to continue, and that they’ll have about 50 percent of registered voters turnout this year.