19,000 cast ballots in Davidson County on final early voting day

More than 19,000 residents cast ballots in Davidson County on Thursday, the final day of the early voting period. The volume of voters created long lines at polling places across Nashville, with some citizens waiting several hours to vote. This marked the busiest day of the two-week early voting window, surpassing all previous daily totals.

Polling locations officially closed at 7 p.m., but officials kept stations open until 9:26 p.m. to accommodate those already in line. The Southeast Library precinct in Antioch was the last location to shut down for the night. The Election Commission confirmed that anyone standing in line at the 7 p.m. cutoff retained the right to cast a ballot.

The county’s total early vote now stands at 143,849 ballots, representing a 29.8 percent turnout rate. This figure compares to 155,846 ballots, or 36.4 percent of the electorate, at the same stage of the 2018 midterm election. While the current numbers exceed those of the 2022 midterms, they remain lower than the 2024 presidential election and the 2018 cycle.

Statewide data through Wednesday showed 1.13 million ballots cast, a 9.95 percent drop compared to the same point in 2018. Ten counties reported higher participation than in 2018 as of Wednesday, but the overall state trend remains downward when adjusted for population growth. In 2018, Tennessee achieved a 54.46 percent final turnout, while Davidson County reached 57.46 percent.

John Richardson, the Davidson County Administrator of Elections, characterized Thursday’s activity as a positive indicator for the final day of voting. “It’s exciting to see a strong finish to early voting,” Richardson said. “My hope is that this momentum in early voting turnout will roll into a strong Election Day turnout.”

Voters have one remaining opportunity to cast ballots for U.S. Senate, Congress, governor, and other statewide races. Polling places will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Election Day. The ballot also includes various measures for local and statewide consideration.