CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Wednesday marked the first day of the early voting period for the Oct. 7 Special Primary Election to select nominees to fill the vacancy left behind in Congress for U.S. House District 7.

679 votes were cast by the first day of early voting, with 546 in-person at the Election Commission office, according to their website. The others were mail-in or nursing home votes. 353 were Republican ballots and 194 were Democratic ballots.

‘Who did you vote for and why?’

The vacancy was created when former Rep. Mark Green resigned to start his new company, Prosimos. Recently, Green held endorsement events in support of Republican nominee Matt Van Epps.

Clarksville Now heard from voters on both sides of the polls Wednesday, and they shared thoughts on who they voted for and why.

Theresa Rollison said that she voted on the Republican ballot for Van Epps, because she also previously worked as a civilian contract employee with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. “That is dear to my heart,” Rollison said. “I really didn’t know him before, but then I started investigating and reading up on him, and I knew he was the guy that I wanted to vote for.”

Stephanie Wilkerson said she voted on the Democratic ballot for Aftyn Behn.

“She seems to have a solid core of integrity and decency,” Wilkerson said. “She seems to support causes that I feel are very important. I’m hopeful that changes can be made in our community, and I hope she can do them.”

Early voting schedule, how it works

Early voting for the special election will take place only at the Montgomery County Election Commission office, 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 404, on this schedule:

  • Sept. 18, Thursday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Sept. 19, Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Sept. 20, Saturday: 9 a.m. to noon
  • 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.

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Who’s running for Congress

Here are the 15 candidates that will be 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 will be 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.

Correction: Theresa Rollison was a civilian contract employee with the 160th. The article has been updated.

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