"It's still not wonderful," said Administrator of Elections Summer Leverette, "but it has picked up."

Early voting continues through Saturday in the basement of the county courthouse. Hours are 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. through Friday, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday.

Wednesday morning, Leverette reported that Tuesday had been the busiest day of the current early voting period, with 71 voters participating. A total of 355 voters have participated in early voting so far, including mailed-in absentee ballots.

Meanwhile, Aug. 21 at noon is the deadline for local candidates to qualify for the November general elections. Shelbyville, Wartrace and Normandy will have town elections, and the vacancy created by the death of Third District County Commission member Roger Brothers will be filled. In addition, an Eighth District Road Board seat for which no candidates qualified for the August election will appear again on the November ballot.

CANDIDATES

Here are the candidates for the Aug. 7 primary and general elections, with (I) indicating an incumbent:

PARTY PRIMARIES

U.S. SENATE

Democratic Primary

Mark E. Clayton

Gary G. Davis

Kenneth Eaton

Leonard D. Ladner

Wm. Mike Padgett

Robert D. Tuke

Republican Primary

Lamar Alexander (I)

(Independent candidates Edward L. Buck, Christopher G. Fenner, David Gatchell, Ed Lawhorn, Daniel Towers Lewis and Chris Lugo will appear on the November ballot)

U.S. HOUSE, 6th District

Democratic Primary

Bart Gordon (I)

(Independent candidate Chris Baker will appear on the November ballot, and there is an announced write-in candidate in the Republican primary, Steve Edmondson)

STATE SENATE, 16th District

Democratic Primary

Dee Butler

Jean Ann Rogers

Republican Primary

Jim Tracy (I)

STATE HOUSE, 62nd District

Democratic Primary

Curt Cobb (I)

Republican Primary

Barbara Blanton

Christopher Brown

Frederick "Danny" Lowe

GENERAL ELECTION

ASSESSOR OF PROPERTY

Ronda Clanton (I), Democratic nominee

HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT

Stanley Smotherman (I), Democratic nominee

SCHOOL BOARD

District 1

Dixie Parker (I)

Robert Allison

District 5

Barry Cooper (I)

District 6

Mary Jo Johnson (I)

District 8

Leonard Singleton (I)

District 9

Glen Forsee (I)

ROAD BOARD

District 1

Albert Crosslin (I)

District 2

Wayne Carter (I)

District 3

Harold Ralston (I)

District 4

Robert McAnally (I)

District 5

Frank Bobo (I)

District 6

James O'Dell (I)

District 7

No ballot candidates; Mark Lamb has filed the proper paperwork to receive write-in votes.

District 8

No candidates; the vacancy will appear again on the November ballot.

District 9

Jesse Powell Jr.

BELL BUCKLE ALDERMEN

Robert Frank Reagor (I)

Annie Rooney