Early voting ends next week

RHEA COUNTY — Early voting in Rhea County is moving full steam ahead. In Rhea County, there have been 482 total voters so far. Of that number, 245 voters have voted in Dayton and 237 voters have voted at the Spring City location, as of press time Thursday.

Compared to previous voting periods, the turnout this year has been “extremely slow,” said Amy Birdsong, Rhea County Deputy Administrator of Elections.

However, there has been a slightly larger turnout in Spring City compared to previous years due to the municipal race for a new mayor, she said.

Dayton also has slightly more votes as opposed to Spring City since there have been two more available days to vote.

Early voting for the August election began Friday, July 12, and runs to July 27.

Early voting will be available at the historic Rhea County Courthouse during that time on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early voting will also be available on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Early voting will also take place at the Spring City Municipal Building from July 15 to July 20 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early voting will also be available on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

On Election Day, Aug. 1, voters will cast their ballots at their respective precincts, and polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In local elections Rhea County Assessor of Property Debbie Byrd, interim road supervisor Rick Wilkey and school board members B.J. McCoy, Bimbo McCawley, Wayne Cox and Chip Pendergrass are all running unopposed. In the race for Spring City Mayor, incumbent mayor Woody Evans is facing challengers Leon Locke and Reed Smith. Thomas Beaver and Kevin W. Jenkins are looking to fill two seats on the Spring City Commission.

In the state Republican Primary, incumbent U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is facing challenger Tres Wittum, while incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais is facing Thomas E. Davis and Joshua James. In the primary for the state House, incumbent State Rep. Ron Travis is facing challenger Richard Smith.

In the state Democratic Primary, Marquita Bradshaw, Lola Denise Brown, Gloria Johnson and Civil Miller-Watkins are running for the U.S. Senate, Victoria Isabel Broderick is running for the U.S. House of Representatives and Brittany Lynn Warfel is running for the state House of Representatives.

For more information, contact the Rhea County Election Commission at (423) 775-7816.