CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After the first week of the early voting period to select nominees to fill the vacant U.S. House District 7 seat in Congress, more than 1,970 people have voted for their desired candidates as of Monday morning, Sept. 22.
Close to 680 constituents voted on or before Day 1 of the early voting period, with 546 in-person at the Election Commission office, according to previous reports. The others were mail-in or nursing home votes.
Between Sept. 18 and 20, the polls averaged around 460 people, which included 223 people on Saturday, Sept. 20, taking time out of their weekend to vote, according to the Election Commission’s website.
Up to this point in the election cycle, there have been 1,219 Republican ballots and 755 Democratic ballots cast in early voting.
Early voting schedule, how it works
Early voting for the special election is taking place only at the Montgomery County Election Commission office, 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 404, on this schedule:
- Sept. 22, Monday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sept. 23, Tuesday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sept. 24, Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sept. 25, Thursday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sept. 26, Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sept. 27, Saturday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Sept. 29, Monday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sept. 30, Tuesday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Oct. 1, Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Oct. 2, Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voters will be required to show valid photo identification. A driver’s license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Tennessee state government, or the federal government is acceptable, even if they are expired. College student IDs are not acceptable, according to previous reports.
Because this is a political party primary, voters will have to indicate which ballot they want, Republican or Democratic. The winner of each primary will compete, along with independent candidates, in the Dec. 2 general election.
| NEW TO CLARKSVILLE? Check out our Newcomer’s Guide
Who’s running for Congress
Here are the 15 candidates that are on the ballots for Congress, District 7.
Republican Primary:
- Jody Barrett: Dickson small-business owner and state House member.
- Gino Bulso: A Brentwood trial lawyer and state House member.
- Stuart Cooper: Franklin, with Flagler Technologies.
- Adolph Agbéko Dagan: Clarksville veteran, minister and small business owner.
- Mason Foley: Franklin, former staff member for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. Now with Main Street Health.
- Jason Knight: Montgomery County commissioner and former Clarksville City Council member, small-business owner and military veteran.
- Joe Leurs: Retired from Marines and Metro Nashville Police Department.
- Stewart Parks: Nashville real estate agent.
- Lee Reeves: Franklin state House member.
- Matt Van Epps: Nashville former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, military veteran.
- Tres Wittum: Former Tennessee Senate staff member.
| MORE: 4 Republican candidates for Congress talk national debt, Trump agenda at Kiwanis meeting
Democratic Primary:
- Aftyn Behn: Nashville social worker and state House member.
- Darden Copeland: Nashville businessman.
- Vincent Dixie: Nashville businessman and state House member.
- Bo Mitchell: Bellevue state House member.
| MORE: 3 Democratic candidates for Congress tell Clarksville town hall how they can ‘flip this seat’
Independents (general ballot only):
- Teresa “Terri” Christi
- Bobby Dodge: Franklin
- Robert James Sutherby
- Jon Thorp: Springfield military veteran.
U.S. House District 7 covers the western portion of Middle Tennessee, spanning from the Kentucky state line to the Alabama state line. It includes Montgomery County and portions of Nashville/Davidson County and Williamson County.
Early voting dates and registration deadlines
For the Oct. 7 primaries, early voting is Sept. 17-Oct. 2.
For the Dec. 2 general election, voters must register by Nov. 3. Early voting will be Nov. 12-26.
Clarksville Transit System will be offering free bus rides on Oct. 7 and Dec. 2 to help people get to their polling locations.
You can check your registration, update your information, or register to vote at GoVoteTN.gov or by using the free GoVoteTNApp. For more information, the Montgomery County Election Commission, 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 404, or call 931-648-5707.