It's election day in Tennessee.
Voters who didn't cast ballots during early voting head to the polls today in Tennessee's state and federal primaries. Also on tap are a host of local county and municipal elections.
The most high-profile races are the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and the Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District in Middle Tennessee.
In the Senate contest, the leading contenders are state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, who hopes to capitalize on her rise to prominence as a member of the Tennessee Three, and Memphis activist Marquita Bradshaw, the party's 2020 Senate nominee.
Meanwhile, incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, faces a well-funded primary challenge from Metro Council member Courtney Johnston. A flurry of ads and outside spending has flooded into the contest.
Follow along for live updates throughout the day and into the evening.
Halfway through election day voting, turnout is "very light," Davidson County Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts said by telephone.
The Davidson County Election Commission polled the top 35 precincts across the county.
"At 1 p.m. we had 3,392 ballots cast," Roberts said. "It's been very light."
— Kirsten Fiscus
If this primary seems to have low voter turnout, that’s because it does.
Early voting was down nearly 40% across the state when compared to 2020, according to data published by the Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office. Turnout is up about 26% from 2016.
In Davidson County, just over 40,000 people voted early, 46% lower than 2020. In Williamson County, 11% fewer people voted early than 2020.
Only seven counties — Bledsoe, Campbell, Clay, Gibson, Lauderdale, Lincoln and Overton — increased their early voting turnout this primary compared to 2020. When compared to 2016, nearly half of Tennessee’s counties increased their turnout.
Wilson County had 8,694 who voted early or by absentee ballot, according to the Wilson County Election Commission. So far election day has been a "light turnout," said Administrator of Elections Tammy Smith who estimates a 13,000-15,000 total turnout at the pace through late Thursday morning unless activity picks up.
— Kirsten Fiscus and Andy Humbles
Outside the early morning lines at Westmeade Elementary School in Nashville, Maryam Abolfalzi, the Democratic candidate in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, stood greeting voters.
Wearing her campaign slogan "This is Our Fight" on a bright blue baseball hat to ward off the impending summer sun, Abolfalzi was optimistic about the long election day ahead.
“The primaries are really important because we have to get Democrats out to vote,” she said. “We have to get those numbers showing up. It’s really important to show the power in our numbers — that we actually are here, we are voting, we do care.”
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Colombia, was elected in 2022 following a Republican-led redistricting plan that split Davidson County, a longtime Democratic stronghold, into three Republican-dominated congressional districts.
Ogles faces Metro Council member Courtney Johnston in the GOP primary today.
Abolfalzi hopes to flip the district back to blue in November. She is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
“People don’t think that a Democrat can win District 5 again, but I think we can,” she said. “I think inspiration and hope are really important. If I’m out here telling people that we can do this together—we need that in Tennessee. It’s been really depressive for quite a while.”
— Angele Latham
There’s only one word to describe the turnout so far — slow.
Metro Nashville Council member Erin Evans stood outside Ruby Major Elementary School, a cooling fan wrapped around her neck.
The school is in the 5th Congressional District, where there is a competitive Republican primary between incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, and Metro Council member Courtney Johnston. The area also is in state House District 60, an open seat in this year's election.
“It’s been so slow,” Evans said, holding a candidate sign for Tennessee House District 60 candidate Tyler Brasher.
Election officer Victor Van Cleave said 5,408 people are registered to vote at the school.
Only 27 people had checked in by 8:15 a.m., but 590 people voted early, Van Cleave said.
“That’s 10%, so not too bad,” he said. “We expected a line when we opened the door. There were only three people waiting this morning.”
— Kirsten Fiscus
As the sun peeked out between cloud cover, and the humidity rose with each passing minute, you might not even know it’s an Election Day if it weren’t for the “vote here” signs outside McGavock Elementary School in Donelson.
The precinct was off to an unsurprising slow start. Poll workers kept themselves busy with books waiting for more voters.
Thirty minutes into polls open, only two voters had passed through. While checking one in, a poll worker expressed surprise when prompted to have the voter sign their name to the voter oath electronically in addition to the receipt paper copy.
“That’s new,” she said.
“Everything is new this time,” another worker replied.
— Kirsten Fiscus
Polls open at 7 a.m. CT and close at 7 p.m. CT.
Yes. Voters in Tennessee must bring a valid photo identification card, which can include a driver's license or photo ID issued by the state of Tennessee, a U.S. passport, a U.S. military photo ID or a Tennessee handgun carry permit that includes a photo.
College student IDs, city- or county-issued IDs, and out-of-state photo IDs are not accepted.
You do not need to bring your voter registration card to vote.
What to know: What time do polls open in Tennessee? Where's my precinct? What to know for the Aug. 1 election
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee election updates: Democratic Senate primary, GOP race for 5th District among races to watch
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