Chester, Henderson counties ready for early voting
JACKSON, Tenn. — In just a few days you’ll be able to cast a ballot for your county’s general election in August.
Early voting begins on Friday, July 15 and continues until Saturday, July 30. Many counties are extending their polling hours to make sure you have time to cast your ballot.
“In Chester County, all the polls will open at 8:00 everyday, and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday we close at 4. But on Thursday nights, we’re here until 7 p.m., and then we’re here Saturday morning until noon,” said Kathy Vest, Election Administrator for the Chester County Election Commission.
In Henderson County, hours look a little different.
Polls will be open Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon.
“Everyone needs to bring a photo ID. That needs to be Tennessee state issued or federally issued. So it could be your driver’s license, your gun permit, your passport, your military ID, anything of those things work,” said Lora Volner, Election Administrator for the Henderson County Election Commission.
Administrators stress the importance of doing your research before casting a vote. Research allows you to make sure you know who is running, what the candidates represent, and if their goals aligns with yours.
“Chester County, I would say, probably our most race of interest is going to be our county mayor because this election is a repeat of four years ago. And so we got the same two candidates that are running, except the incumbent this time was the challenger last time,” Vest said.
In Henderson County, voters could see a change on who they could be voting for.
“Traditionally Henderson County had been District 72 but now the east part of Henderson County is still District 72, but the western part of Henderson county is now District 79 ,” Volner said.
One of the benefits of voting early is avoiding long lines.
They say 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. are peak times at the polls. However, voting early will ultimately save you the wait time compared to voting on Election Day.
“I would encourage people to think about the fact that local government, these local races are going to have a quicker more direct impact on you. So don’t wait until its a large federal election. Get out and let your voice be heard about your local government. It’s going to have a huge impact in your community,” Vest said.
Both Chester and Henderson counties are still accepting applications for absentee ballots. Whether you’re out of town or away at college, you still have time to turn in those applications to make sure your vote is counted.
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