According to Mark Ward, Administrator of Elections in Benton County, voter turnout is already higher than that of previous mid-terms elections, and his expectations are they will continue to rise.
Early voting got underway on October 17 and by Monday 1,400 voters had visited the polls. Races include federal and state general elections. For the state of Tennessee, there are more than 25 candidates vying for the seat of governor, at least eight candidates for the senate race, four nominees for the District 7 seat in House of Representatives, three in the District 8 seat in the House, and three in District 75, including the former Assistant District Attorney of Benton County, Bruce Griffey.
Closer to home, Autumn Ratliff is running unopposed for mayor of Big Sandy, incumbent Roger Pafford is running unopposed for the city of Camden mayor, two city aldermen are running unopposed, Pat McLin and Travis Pierce, and six locals are hoping to fill the three seats for Big Sandy’s City Council including, Sissy Lynn Corbitt, Christie Tubbs Craig, Terry Culpepper, Jayson Dobson, Barbara A Marshall Feldbauer, and Becky Belyew Wright.
Early voting will run through November 1 and polls are open from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Benton County Election Commission office, 113 Maple Avenue.
