YOUR GUIDE TO THE POLLS

Early voting is underway, and Putnam County voters are making decisions that will determine who represents them in county government, municipal government and several state and federal races.

The Aug. 6 election is more complicated than a single primary or general election. It combines the Republican and Democratic state and federal primaries with the Putnam County General Election and municipal elections. Depending on where a voter lives and whether the voter participates in a party primary, the names and races appearing on that voter’s ballot may differ.

Putnam County has published three types of sample ballots for the election: a Republican ballot with the applicable general-election races, a Democratic ballot with the applicable general-election races, and a general-election-only ballot.

To help voters prepare, Highlands Insider has assembled a Guide to the Polls containing the official ballot, election dates and deadlines, campaign finance information, candidate profiles and a review of candidates’ participation in previous party primaries.

The complete ballot appears in the second section. Voters should pay close attention to the instructions above each race. Some offices allow voters to select one candidate, while Putnam County Commission races permit voters to select two. Cookeville voters may select as many as five candidates for City Council. The ballot also contains judicial retention questions that voters may encounter after the candidate races.

As part of this guide, Highlands Insider reviewed the party-primary ballot history available for candidates.

Those records do not show which candidate a person supported or how the person voted in any individual race. The secrecy of the ballot remains protected. The records show only whether someone participated in an election and, during a party primary, whether the voter requested a Republican or Democratic ballot.

Tennessee voters do not register as Republicans, Democrats or members of another political party. When participating in a party primary, voters declare the party primary in which they are participating and receive that party’s ballot.

The information presented inside should therefore be read as a record of party-primary participation, not as proof of how a candidate voted, what the candidate believes on every issue or whom the candidate supported.

This guide also examines campaign finance reports to show how much candidates have reported raising and spending, how much candidates have personally loaned or contributed to their campaigns, their remaining balances and the sources of significant contributions.

Campaign finance totals offer voters another piece of information, but they do not measure a candidate’s qualifications or community support by themselves. Each report should be considered alongside the candidate’s background, positions, public participation and responses to voter questions.

For local races, campaign finance reports are filed with the appropriate county election commission. The second-quarter reporting period ended June 30, with reports due July 10. Pre-General reports covering July 1 through July 27 are due July 30, meaning substantial campaign activity occurring during July may not appear in reports available for this edition.

Early voting continues through Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Putnam County Election Commission, 705 County Services Drive in Cookeville.

Early voting hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Election Day is Thursday, Aug. 6, with precincts open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is July 27. Voters casting ballots in person should bring an acceptable government-issued photo identification. Tennessee college identification cards are not accepted for voting purposes.

Inside this edition, readers will find the information needed to study the races, understand the ballot and arrive at the polls prepared.

The decision belongs to the voter. Our responsibility is to provide the information.

About This Guide

Highlands Insider’s Guide to the Polls will be published in two parts. This week’s edition focuses on the races for Cookeville City Council, Putnam County Commission and Putnam County Mayor. Coverage of all remaining county, municipal, state and federal races appearing on the Aug. 6 ballot will be included in next week’s edition.