Hear from East Tennessee candidates at two upcoming forums

Sarah Riley, Knoxville News Sentinel
·3 min read

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Voters will have the opportunity to hear directly from candidates in many East Tennessee districts at two upcoming forums.

The forums are open to everyone and candidates will be asked screened questions from audience members.

A forum for candidates in the state Senate District 7 race will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Knoxville Public Works Building, 3131 Morris Ave. in Knoxville. All candidates have been invited.

A forum for candidates in Tennessee State House of Representatives Districts 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 89 and 90 will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 20 at Annoor Academy, 724 Foxvue Road in Knoxville. All candidates have been invited.

The forums are sponsored by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Knoxville-Knox County along with Knox News and other organizations.

How to register to vote in Tennessee

The last day to register to vote is Oct. 11.

To register to vote online, go to ovr.govote.tn.gov.

To register by mail in Knox County, send your application to: Knox County Election Commission 300 Main St., Suite 229 Knoxville, TN 37902. Questions? Call 865-215-2480.

Has it been a while since you voted? Check to see if you're registered at tnmap.tn.gov/voterlookup.

To register, you must be:

  • A U.S. citizen

  • A resident of Tennessee

  • At least 18 years old on or before the election.

How to request an absentee ballot in Tennessee

The final day to request an absentee ballot is Nov. 1, but you should do it long before that.

Voters unable to visit the polls in person may request an absentee ballot. To find out if you meet the requirements for an absentee ballot request, visit sos.tn.gov/products/elections/absentee-voting.

Knox County residents who qualify to vote by mail can send their absentee requests to fax number 865-215-4239 or email them to absenteeballot@knoxcounty.org.

To print an absentee voting application, visit knoxcounty.org/election/pdfs/AbsenteeBallotApplication.pdf.

Early voting in Tennessee

Early voting will take place from Oct. 19 through Nov. 3.

Early voting hours are generally from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Times vary at some locations, and hours are extended at some locations in the final three days.

Here are the early voting locations:

  • City-County Building, 400 Main St., small assembly room

  • Knoxville Expo Center, 5441 Clinton Highway

  • Eternal Life Harvest Center at Five Points, 2014 Martin Luther King Ave. (next to Love Kitchen)

  • Farragut Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive

  • Downtown West, 1645 Downtown West Blvd.

  • Carter Senior Center, 9036 Asheville Highway

  • New Harvest Park, 4775 New Harvest Lane

  • Halls Recreation Center, 6933 Recreation Lane

  • Meridian Baptist Church, 6513 Chapman Highway

  • Karns Senior Center, 8042 Oak Ridge Highway (open an hour early on weekdays but closed on Saturdays)

Election Day in Tennessee

The big day is Nov. 8. Polls are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Knoxville.

Voters who choose to cast their ballot on Election Day must go to their specific neighborhood polling site.

To find your polling place, use the Voting Location Search at kgis.org.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville candidate forums give voters a chance to ask questions