Get ready: Tuesday is election day in Knoxville.
Election Day kicks off on Nov. 7 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Unlike early voting, people voting on election day will need to head to their designated polling location. You can search for where you need to go to vote by entering your current street address on the Knox County GIS website at this link.
For more details on polling sites or to see a sample ballot, visit https://knoxcounty.org/election/.
The city of Knoxville will see sweeping leadership changes following this election.
Early voting ended Thursday night with a record 4,324 people casting early votes and 619 sending in absentee ballots over the course of two weeks. On the final day alone, 820 people cast an early vote -- which shattered the shattered the previous high of 472 votes.
This is easily the most number of early votes cast in a non-mayoral election in recent history -- coming close to doubling the previous number the last time five city council districts were up for grabs in a single election.
According to Knox County records, at least 2,200 people cast early ballots in 2009, though the exact number is likely a little larger because the records didn't track which voters cast ballots in all five incumbent districts and which ones voted in just their specific district.
Knox County officials expect the total number of voters by the end of the election will likely shatter 2009's record of 7,987. In the past, twice as many people have voted on election day compared to during the early voting period.
A total of 4,324 ballots cast - up 82 percent from last comparable election. Next chance to vote: Election Day, Tues., Nov. 7. pic.twitter.com/7PtGZaH5MY
— Mayor Rogero (@MayorRogero) November 3, 2017
Having five of the nine city council seats up for grabs means voters will have an huge voice in shaping the city's future leadership. The council members representing the first, second, third, fourth and sixth districts are all term-limited, and therefore cannot run for re-election.
This also means five seats will belong to first-time members following the general election.
In order to inform Knoxville residents of the choices in the election, WBIR 10News and Fox 43 News at 6:30 anchor John Becker reached out to each of the candidates for roundtable interviews, starting with District 1.These interviews began in May before the primary election when a record-breaking 30 people signed up to run in the various districts.
Below are interviews with the final candidates in the order they placed in their district in the August primary, starting with District One.
Unsure which district you belong to? Find out on Knox County's Geographic Information System.
District One
Stephanie Welch
Website: www.Vote4Welch.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SWelch1st
Twitter: @SWelch1st
Rebecca Parr
Website: www.voterebeccaparr.com
Website: http://AndrewJRoberto.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElectRoberto
Wayne Christensen
Website: www.ChristensenForCityCouncil.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VoteChristensen
Website: www.CorcoranForCouncil.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JamesCorcoranForKnox
Seema Singh Perez
Website: www.VoteSeema.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Seema3rdDistrict
District Four
(Note: Amelia Parker and Harry Tindell tied in this district with 488 votes each during the Aug. 29 primary. State law required the the city to break the tie, which ended in a 9-0 vote to allow Tindell to move on over Parker. People can still vote for Parker as a certified write-in candidate, however, her name will not be listed on the ballot).
Lauren Rider
Website: www.VoteLaurenRider.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VoteLaurenRider
Harry Tindell
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Harry.Tindell.35
Amelia Parker
Website: www.votegwenmckenzie.com
Jennifer Montgomery
Website: www.VoteJMO.com