NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nine of Nashville's 10 early voting sites are on the chopping block after the city council proposed nearly $1 million in cuts to the Davidson County Election Commission's budget.
"I just don’t get the impression they fully understand the ramifications, it’s sort of like well take it from somewhere else, we don’t have anywhere else to take it from," chairman Ron Buchanan said.
The Election Commission typically opens 10 polling locations around the county to accommodate early voting but without the proper funding, they would only be able to operate one location at the Howard School Building.
"That’s going to cause a big problem because almost 50 percent of the people in Davidson County in the last few elections have voted early, so that will cause a lot more people voting on Election Day -- longer lines, longer waits," he added.
Buchanan said the choice is either to cut early polling locations or cut staff -- staff that he said they can't operate general elections without.
"I want the council to know what the consequences are," he added.
Nashville City Council members are expected to approve a final budget on June 16.
