NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Wednesday was the first day of early voting in a special primary election to replace Congressman Mark Green. The seventh congressional district covers 14 counties and nearly 500,000 Tennessee voters.
There's a large amount of people that could cast their ballot in this primary. The question becomes — will they take the time to go vote?
It was a slow start in Davidson County. By the end of the day, only a few hundred had cast their ballots. It was a smaller crowd in Dickson County. Election officials told us, by mid-afternoon, only 85 voters had cast their ballots. In Montgomery County, by 4 pm, more than 500 voters made their official choice.
"I have voted in every election that I could vote in since I turned 18," said Katie Fitzpatrick, who voted early with her young son.
At the Bordeaux Library in North Nashville, it was more of a trickle of voters instead of a flood. By noon, about 100 voters had cast their ballots on the first day of early voting. "They just started, so I’m pretty sure it’ll pick up," said Rickey Jarrett, another early voter.
Jeff Roberts, the Davidson County Election Administrator says turnout is typically low during special elections, but it may pick up some towards the end of the early voting period. "Typically for a special election, we do have a light turnout. And we’re seeing that today," said Roberts in an interview with NewsChannel 5. "As we approach the last three or four days of early voting, that’s when we see a bigger surge."
Roberts says turnout is never anything close to when there are bigger races at the top of the ballot. "It’s just not as prominent in the community, social media as, say a Presidential election," said Roberts.
Of course, when there's a smaller turnout, it could mean the margins for who actually wins this primary could be incredibly close. Especially with a ballot with this many names on it and no clear front runner on either side of the aisle. It's why Katie Fitzpatrick used the Bordeaux Library beyond just as a voting precinct. "We actually got here early so I could look people up first," she said.
"I usually read up on them and see what they all about," said Jarrett.
The slow, low turnout does have one positive. For these early bird voters, they won't have to worm their way through any long lines. "[It's] just important to do it -- I’m exercising my right," said Jarrett.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com
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