CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. — While several upper East Tennessee counties continue recovering from devastating floods brought by Hurricane Helene, the Tennessee Secretary of State gave election updates for six counties.
Tre Hargett, the secretary of state, said in a release that his staff has worked with election administrators to determine how people could still have a chance to cast a ballot despite the storm's damage.
In a release, the office said it would update a website for the six impacted counties if any new information is available.
The latest updates for each impacted county are available below.
Carter County
- Two Election Day polling places have temporarily been changed and voters in the impacted areas will vote at their temporary location on Election Day. Notices are being sent to local media and letters are being mailed to the impacted voters.
- Hampton High School (Tiger Valley Precinct) will vote at Hampton Elementary.
- Elk Mill VFD (Elk Mills Precinct) will vote at Little Milligan Elementary
Cocke County
- The Election Commission has moved to 157 Western Plaza Drive, Newport, TN 37821.
- The new mailing address is PO Box 459, Newport, TN 37822.
Greene County
- All locations are expected to be open by Election Day. Voters are encouraged to monitor road conditions for possible closures.
Johnson County
- Access to the Trade Community Center polling place is limited. Election officials are monitoring the progress in repairing Highway 421 to determine if any adjustments will be needed. The Trade Community Center polling location is expected to be open. If this changes, notice will be widely distributed.
Unicoi County
- Election Day Voting at the Temple Hill Elementary School will now occur in the library. Voters can gain access through the library entrance at the left rear of the building.
Washington County
- The office and all early voting and Election Day sites are operational.
Josh Blanchard, Cocke County's administrator of elections, said his team managed to save all of the county's voting equipment from the flooding.
"We are ready for an election," he said in an email.
