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Read comments (9)The previous record was 5,709, set during the last presidential election in 2004. This year's new record represents more than a 48 percent increase.
Leverette is expecting a heavy turnout on Tuesday, Election Day, as well, and has increased staffing at many precincts in anticipation.
The total voter turnout -- early plus election day -- was 13,622 in the 2004 presidential election and 13,144 in 2000.
In addition to the presidential election, the ballot includes U.S. Senate, U.S. House, State Senate and State House races, as well as a Third District county commission seat and city elections in Shelbyville, Wartrace and Normandy.
This is the first year in which Shelbyville voters have voted only for the city council race for their individual ward. In the past, such races were voted citywide, even though the candidate had to live in a particular ward he sought to represent.
The county was in line with a record early voting turnout statewide.
Turnout through Wednesday was 1.38 million -- about a quarter-million more voters than the previous early voting record set in the 2004 presidential election.
State Election Coordinator Brook Thompson estimated that the final statewide total for early voting would be about 1.5 million people.
Early voting saw its biggest increase in West Tennessee, where early voter turnout was already 34 percent higher than it was in 2004. Middle Tennessee was next with a 25 percent jump, followed by the eastern division of the state with 13 percent.
Thompson projects that overall turnout will easily exceed the 2.45 million who voted in 2004. There are nearly 4 million registered voters in Tennessee this year, including more than 360,000 -- or 9 percent -- who have registered for the first time this year.
Thompson said county election officials are prepared for an onslaught of voters on Tuesday.
Early voting began in Tennessee in 1994.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Obama not only hates America, but he has no respect for life -- if you have kids think about partial birth abortion, if you don't know what all it intels look it up & then think about it when you go vote TUESDAY!!! MCCAIN '08
jack Bauer.I just do not believe that Obama hates America.I really believe he will be good for all of us.If McCain get's in I also believe that he will do his best.
i wish we could have had a special ballot to kick out some current county commissioners and maybe a mayor too!! the ol' gimp, bo is the major one that needs to be removed from his seat but that will require removing his head from the rear end of our mayor first!!!
a vote for obama will shoot this great country straight to hell! how he ever got as far as he has ill never understand that?
I agree with slingshot,if we don't wake up we are going to be lil China.Wonder if Bedford Co. will be red or blue???
It doesn't make a difference who runs for what ever in any election,they all make promises,then forget and let their title go to their heads. Its the little people who suffer.The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
And if you don't vote, you need to sit back and shut your mouths on whats going on.Stop complaining.
We need to be taking care of our Americans who needs the help. And keep our noses out of other countries business.Charity starts at home.
I think early voting should have been extended throughout the weekend... There is no reason we couldn't have extended it through Saturday afternoon... Seems it would make it much easier on election officials Tuesday!
sounds to me like everyone needs to wake up, if we keep going in the directon we are now, China is going own America. I do agree with you we all better wake up fast because America is going to hell fast we better change the fundamentals before its to late. I listen to Obama very intently and there is no way he hates America MCcain is trying to help the rich first...the same as Bush it amazes me how many people don't understand that.....your right we better wake up before its too late!!!
grandpat,
Do you think human biases have no effect on what votes get counted? Neither is perfect, that is why I have recommended the computer ballot but printing two receipts: one to place in a sealed box given to election officials and one for your own records... that way you can have actual physical proof of your vote ;)
NEXT ELECTION CYCLE I HOPE THAT WE HAVE A STATE LAW THAT MANDATES A PAPER BALLOT,EITHER MRC/SCAN, OR THE OLD FASHIONED KIND WHERE OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE TO DO AN ACTUAL VOTE COUNT FROM EACH BALLOT CAST.THE ELECTRONIC VOTING IS FULL OF WAYS TO MANIPULATE THE VOTE COUNT.I DO NOT TRUST ELECTRONIC VOTING AS NO ELECTION OFFICIAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE COUNT.IT IS NOT THE PLACE FOR THE ELECTION OFFICE TO WHINE ABOUT THE COST IT WILL TAKE TO BEGIN A PAPER BALLOT.EVERY VOTE COUNTED ACCURATELY COUNTS.
I only hope that American voters are hearing what Obama is saying. I heard him say just yesterday, "We want to fundamentally change America." Are you listening, America? He HATES America, not just the social and economic problems that we are having! He hates America's FUNDAMENTALS!!! Wake up before it is too late!