Guide for Knox primary; early voting starts Feb. 12
Farragut and Knox County voters will notice an earlier primary election day this year, as it will coincide with the Presidential Primary Tuesday, March 3.
“That way, the state helps absorb the cost of the election,” said Chris Davis, assistant administrator for Knox County Election Commission. In non-presidential election years, the county Primary is held in May.
On the ballot will be the offices of both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominee; a 2nd Congressional District delegate; criminal court judge, Division II; public defender; County Commission Districts 1, 2, 4, 5 (Farragut and West Knoxville), 6 (Hardin Valley), 8 and 9; property assessor; county law director; and School Board seats in Districts 2, 3, 5 (Farragut/West Knoxville) and 8.
Current 5th District County Commissioner John Schoonmaker is running for re-election, and will be facing fellow Tan Rara neighbor Clayton Wood in the Republican primary. Farragut resident Kimberly Peterson is running unopposed as a Democrat in that same race and will be facing the Republican winner in August.
Upcoming dates include the following:
• Feb. 3 is the final day to register to vote for in the primary. It is also the first day for aldermen candidates in Farragut to pick up petitions for the two seats up for re-election (one South Ward seat, currently held by Drew Burnette, and one North Ward seat to be vacated by Vice Mayor Louise Povlin).
• Feb. 12-25 — early voting will take place in 10 locations throughout Knox County, including Farragut Town Hall, Downtown West, Karns Senior Center and the City/County Building Downtown. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 12; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays thereafter; and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. The final two days, Monday, Feb. 24, and Tuesday, Feb. 25, hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“It will give voters two Saturdays, and we will also be open on President’s Day,” Davis said. “We voted to approve that.”
“I advise people to vote early. If you wait ’til Election Day, you only have one place where you can vote, and there could be long lines,” he added.
• March 3 — Election Day. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters in Ward 65W (Choto/Northshore area) will cast ballots in Farragut Town Hall. Voters in Ward 66S (south of Kingston Pike) will vote in Farragut High School, while voters in 66N (north of Kingston Pike) will vote in Farragut Middle School.
Residents living directly north of Farragut in Ward 65N will vote in Farragut Primary School. Residents in Ward 70W (From Lovell Road east to Pellissippi Parkway) vote in Ball Camp Elementary School, and Hardin Valley residents (Ward 62) vote in Hardin Valley Elementary School.
Additional important dates:
• April 2 – Petitions for Farragut aldermen open seats must be returned by noon;
• Aug. 6 — State/County General Election Day for Knox County and Town of Farragut; also state/federal primary;
• Oct. 5 — Voter registration deadline;
• Oct. 14-Oct. 29 — Early Voting for State/Federal Election
• Nov. 3 — State/Federal Election Day.
For more information, visit www.knoxcounty.org/elections or www.knoxvotes.org.
