KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Polls are open for early voting in East Tennessee.
This time you'll get two ballots to fill out. The primary ballot includes races for governor and state legislators. You'll see races for judges and county offices on the general vote.
According to the National Civic League, across the United States, only 15% to 27% of eligible voters cast a ballot in their local elections. The Knox County Election Commission said in Knox County -- that number sits at about 20% in a state and federal primary that also includes local general elections.
Those who vote in county elections play a role in how the county distributes services and spends its budget. Local elections are your opportunity to weigh in on community decisions.
For comparison, many more people showed up to vote during the 2020 presidential election. There are nearly 300,000 registered voters in Knox County, and about 222,000 -- or 73% -- cast a ballot in November 2020.
Knox County Administrator of Elections Chris Davis has high hopes for this election. He said they are hoping to see 80,000 to 90,000 people cast a ballot in this primary general election. Knox County election officials said around 1,500 people turned out to the polls Friday.
"Well, this is their opportunity to do so. For your mayor, for your sheriff, and for a lot of things that impact us on a more day-to-day basis," Davis said.
Depending on where you live in Knox County, you have between 58 and 61 different races to vote on. In other words, it's a big ballot. There are actually two of them. One for the state and federal primary races and one for the Knox County general election. Davis said even if you're familiar with the ballot -- it's important to still do your research.
"It's a big ballot. We're handing out two pieces of paper, it takes a little bit of time, that's why we encourage early voting so you can take your time," Davis said.
To see the sample ballots in Knox County, the voting schedule and polling locations, click here.