Friday is the first day for early voting for the Aug. 7 election in Bedford County, not only for local offices but for state primaries. Registered voters can cast their ballots until Aug. 2 at the elections office in the basement of the courthouse, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

"They need to bring some form of identification that has their correct address," said Summer Leverette, election commission administrator.

"Preferably their voter I.D.," said Andrew Robertson, the deputy administrator.

Leverette said there will be three to four people working in the office during the early voting, with two to three manning the machines. When election time rolls around, however, she said they will need more.

"We always need poll workers on election day," said Leverette. "They get paid $60 for election day, and then there's the election school, which pays $10."

Those who haven't registered to vote in the August election are out of luck, since the deadline has passed. They can still register for the presidential election in November, but they have to wait until Aug. 8, the day after the local election. They have until Oct. 6 to register for the November election. They need to bring identification and if their address is not on that ID or is incorrect, they need to bring some sort of document, such as mail, with their current address.

The county general election offers several offices for which to vote -- but not much choice in candidates. Except for the school board race, with Robert A. Allison taking on incumbent Dixie Parker for the District 1 seat, all other county candidates are running unopposed.

In Bell Buckle, incumbent Frank Reagor and Annie Rooney are running unopposed for the two open alderman seats. Current Alderman Mark Felices chose not to run again.

There's a little more competition in the federal and state primaries. In the Democratic primary, Mark E. Clayton, Gary G. Davis, Kenneth Eaton, Leonard L. Ladner, William Mike Padgett and Robert D. Tuke are vying for the chance to take on incumbent Republican Lamar Alexander in November for his seat in the U. S. Senate. Alexander is running unopposed.

Murfreesboro's Bart Gordon faces no opposition as the incumbent in the U.S. Houses of Representatives 6th Congressional District, from his own party or the Republicans.

Democrats Dee Butler and Jean Anne Rogers are competing for the state 16th District senatorial seat. The winner will take on incumbent Jim Tracy, who runs unopposed on the Republican ticket.

Democrat incumbent Curt Cobb runs unopposed, but there are three lining up in the Republican primary to take him on for the state representative seat for the 62nd district. They are Barbara Blanton, Chris T. Brown and Frederick "Danny" Lowe III.

The unopposed candidates for the county general elections include: Assessor of Property, Ronda Helton Clanton (I); Road Superintendent, Stanley Smotherman (I ); Road Board, District 1, Albert Crosslin (I); Road Board, District 2, Wayne Carter (I); Road Board, District 3, Harold Ralston (I); Road Board, District 4, Robert McAnally (I); Road Board, District 5, Frank Bobo (I); and Road Board, District 6, James O'Dell (I); Road Board, District 9, Jesse H. Powell Jr.; School Board, District 5, Barry D. Cooper (I); School Board, District 6, Mary Jo Johnson (I); School Board, District 8, Leonard R. Singleton (I); and School Board, District 9, Roger Glenn Forsee (I).

There are no candidates for the Road Board districts 7 and 8. Those seats are currently held by Harold Rose and Mark Lamb, respectively. Rayburn Sudberry is the current Road Board member serving District 9.

The ballot also allows voters to decide the retention of seven judges, including William C. Koch and Gary R. Wade for the Supreme Court; Andy D. Bennett and Richard H. Dinkins, for the criminal appeals court, Middle Division; Steve Stafford and Camille R. McMullen, criminal appeals court, Western Division; and D. Kelly Thomas Jr., criminal appeals court, Eastern division.

For more information on becoming a poll worker, contact the Elections Commission office at 684-0531.