Election Day voting detailed and poll workers say they're ready: 'It’s kind of civic duty'
Rutherford County voters will have 327 poll workers serving on Tuesday’s Election Day, an official said.
“We are fortunate to have many civic minded residents in Rutherford County willing to serve as poll workers, “ said Alan Farley, the county’s administrator of elections.
Voters can pick any of the 28 voting centers that are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for an Election Day that includes candidates for federal and state offices, and four amendments to the Tennessee Constitution.
Election Day will include ballots for voters in Eagleville, La Vergne and Smyrna to choose candidates for local government offices, including mayor for each.
The county had an early voting turnout of 43,577 out of 206,083 registered voters eligible for the election. Farley expects about 40,000 will be voting on Election Day. The low estimated 40.6% turnout is during a year without a contested U.S. Senate election in Tennessee like there was in 2018 and 2020.
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Voters must show poll workers one of the following forms of identification to vote: Tennessee issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, hand gun permit, or a federal issued photo ID, such as a passport, military ID of Homeland Security ID.
Ballots will include 6 pages for constitutional amendments
When it comes to the four amendments taking up six pages on the ballots, Farley recommends voters in advance research these proposed changes to the state constitution that involve the following:
Amendment 1: Determines whether to codify Tennessee being a right-to-work state;
Amendment 2: Clarifies the line of succession for the governor with the lieutenant governor assuming office if the governor is incapacitated;
Amendment 3: Removes and clarifies from Tennessee Constitution language on slavery and involuntary servitude;
Amendment 4: Allows clergy to serve in the Tennessee House and Senate.
Voters can research more details about the amendment through the Rutherford County Election Commission webpage, www.ruco.vote. Voting centers also will have sample ballots posted for voters to read before going to the polling booths, Farley added.
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Poll workers train for Election Day
Each of the county’s 28 poll officials will earn $195 for a 15-hour day. Those working as registrars or machine operators will earn $150 for a 14-hour day, Farley said.
“We are fortunate that we have a good number of citizens that serve each election,” Farley said. “They are dedicated to serving their neighbors. Each polling location has a balance of poll workers appointed by our political parties. They work well with each other and respectful of each other in this process. It is a civil process based on following our election laws.”
Among the poll workers is Zane Cantrell of Murfreesboro, and he’ll be at Voting Center 9 at the Lane Agri-Park Livestock Pavilion. Cantrell is a retired 47-year educator who was the founding principal of Murfreesboro City Schools Black Fox Elementary. Cantrell also has served as the chairman of the Rutherford County Board of Zoning Appeals since 1983.
“It’s been several years that I’ve been a machine operator, maybe 10 years,” Cantrell said. “It’s kind of civic duty of why I do it. I think it’s one of the most important things we do as a citizen is to make sure we get out there and vote.”
The goal is to help voters avoid long lines, Cantrell said.
“So far over the years I’ve been working, we’ve been able to achieve that to make it real easy and simple for voters to get in and cast their vote,” Cantrell said.
The poll workers, Cantrell said, go through training and retraining to prepare themselves for each election.
“I make sure I know what I’m supposed to do and how to do it,” Cantrell said.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription for all DNJ stories.
County offers choice of 28 Election Day voting centers
Election Day polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Rutherford County provides voters with a choice of 28 polling locations:
Voting Center 1 - La Vergne Middle School382 Stones River Road LaVergne TN 37086
Voting Center 2 - Cedar Grove Elementary School354 Chaney Rd Smyrna TN 37167
Voting Center 3 - Rock Springs Elementary School1000 Waldron Road LaVergne TN 37086
Voting Center 4 - Stewarts Creek Elementary School 200 Red Hawk Parkway Smyrna TN 37167
Voting Center 5 - Stewartsboro Elementary School10479 Old Nashville Highway Smyrna TN 37167
Voting Center 6 - Smyrna Middle School712 Hazelwood Drive Smyrna TN 37167
Voting Center 7 - Smyrna Elementary School1001 Sam Davis Road Smyrna TN 37167
Voting Center 8 - Browns Chapel Elementary School6128 Baker Road Murfreesboro TN 37129
Voting Center 9 - Lane Agri-Park Livestock Pavilion315 John Rice Boulevard Murfreesboro TN 37130
Voting Center 10 - Blackman United Methodist4380 Manson Pike Murfreesboro 37219
Voting Center 11 - Leanna Church of Christ4198 Sulphur Springs Road Murfreesboro TN 37129
Voting Center 12 - Wilson Elementary School1545 Cut Off Road Murfreesboro TN 37129
Voting Center 13 - Siegel Middle School355 West Thompson Lane Murfreesboro TN 37129
Voting Center 14 - Mitchell-Neilson Primary School1303 Jones Boulevard Murfreesboro TN 37129
Voting Center 15 - Cason Lane Academy1330 Cason Lane Murfreesboro TN 37129
Voting Center 16 - Barfield Elementary School350 Veterans Parkway Murfreesboro TN 37128
Voting Center 17 - Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors311 Butler Drive Murfreesboro TN 37128
Voting Center 18 - Central Magnet School701 East Main Street Murfreesboro TN 37130
Voting Center 19 - Hobgood Elementary School307 Baird Lane South Murfreesboro TN 37130
Voting Center 20 - North Boulevard Church of Christ1112 North Rutherford Boulevard Murfreesboro TN 37130
Voting Center 21 - SportsCom2310 Memorial Blvd Murfreesboro TN 37130
Voting Center 22 - Lascassas Elementary School6300 Lascassas Pike Lascassas TN 37085
Voting Center 23 - Milton Church of Christ12155 Lascassas Pk Milton TN 37118
Voting Center 24 - Kittrell Elementary School7801 Old Woodbury Pike Readyville TN 37149
Voting Center 25 - Whitworth-Buchanan Middle School5555 Manchester Pike Murfreesboro TN 37127
Voting Center 26 - Christiana Middle School4675 Shelbyville Pike Christiana TN 37037
Voting Center 27 - Rockvale Middle School6543 Highway 99 Rockvale TN 37153
Voting Center 28 - Eagleville Community Center317 Old Highway 99 Eagleville TN 37060
32 candidates seek local and state offices
Smyrna seats
Mayor race
Mary Esther Reed, incumbent
Council race
Marc Adkins, incumbent vice mayor
H.G. Cole Jr., incumbent
Gerry Short, incumbent
Marquinta "Mutt" Richardson
Celest Davis
La Vergne seats
Mayor race
Jason Cole, incumbent
Matthew B. Mednick
John Mack Rutledge
Aldermen race
Graeme Coates, incumbent
Carol V. Hass
Kara Hobbs
Charlie Jones
Kathy Tyson
Eagleville seats
Mayor race
Chad Leeman, incumbent
Council race: 2-year term
Jason Blair, incumbent
Council race: 4-year term
Brandon Emamalie, incumbent
Bill Tollett, incumbent
Heath Garner, incumbent
Craig Campbell
Tennessee General Assembly candidates
State Senate
District 13: Dawn White, Republican incumbent; Kelly Northcutt, Democrat
State House of Representatives
District 13 (added office for Rutherford County to account for growth): Robert Stevens, Republican; Jeff Crum, Democrat
District 34: Tim Rudd, Republican incumbent; Laura Bohling, Democrat
District 37: Charlie Baum, Republican incumbent; Bill Levine, Democrat
District 48: Bryan Terry, Republican incumbent; Matt Ferry, Democrat
District 49: Mike Sparks, Republican incumbent; Morgan Woodberry, Democrat
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: 40.6% voter turnout expected by Election Day in Rutherford County
