Nashville mayoral election: Who are the candidates, when polls open and what to know

Cassandra Stephenson, Nashville Tennessean
Updated ·5 min read

On Thursday, Nashville voters will cast their ballots to name the leaders who will steer the city over the next four years.

There are a whopping 106 local candidates in the mix.

On the ballot: A new mayor, a challenge to an incumbent vice mayor, 40 Council seats and special elections for state House representatives.

Here's what to know.

Keep up with updates: Polls open across Nashville on election day

What to know at the voting polls on Aug. 3?

What time do polls open?

Polls open at 7 a.m. CT and close at 7 p.m. CT.

Is it too late to register to vote?

Yes. The registration deadline for the Aug. 3 election was July 5. To check your registration status, visit govotetn.com.

Is it too late to request an absentee ballot?

Yes. The last day to request an absentee ballot was July 27.

Absentee ballots can be submitted by mail or in person to the Davidson County Election Commission, but must be received by 7 p.m. on election day.

Where to find your precinct?

On Aug. 3, you must vote at your assigned polling location. To check your polling place, visit maps.nashville.gov/PollingPlaceFinder/ and enter your address.

What do I need to bring?

Voters in Tennessee must bring a valid photo ID. This can include:

  • a driver's license

  • a state-issued photo ID

  • a U.S. passport

  • a U.S. military photo ID

  • a Tennessee handgun carry permit that includes a photo

The following forms of ID are NOT accepted: college student IDs, city- or county-issued IDs, and out-of-state photo IDs.

If you do not bring photo identification, you will have to cast a provisional ballot. You will then have two business days to return to the Davidson County Election Commission office with valid photo identification. You'll have to sign an affidavit and the counting board will review a copy of your ID.

You do not need to bring your voter registration card to vote.

Can I leave work to vote?

Employers are required to give their employees paid time off to vote provided they have been given notice.

What ballot will I have?

Most voters in Davidson County will receive a general election ballot.

Local elections are considered nonpartisan, but residents of Tennessee House District 51 should be asked whether they prefer a Republican ballot (for David C. Hooven) or a Democratic ballot (for Aftyn Behn vs. Anthony Davis) for the special primary. For District 51 voters, the District 51 primary should be the first race on the voting computer screen.

To find your state political district information, enter your address here.

If you think something has gone wrong with your ballot or if you have questions, ask a poll worker for assistance before you finish voting. Once your ballot is printed and scanned, it's final.

Council district boundaries have changed since the last election — they were redrawn to account for population changes based on data from the 2020 U.S. Census. To find your council district, enter your address here.

Nashville voter guide 2023: Our hub for mayoral, Council election coverage

Early voting totals surpass 2015, 2019 turnouts

A total of 57,461 Nashville voters cast their ballots early for the Aug. 3 election — about 14% of active voters in Davidson County.

This year's turnout surpassed early voting counts for local elections in 2019 (48,715) and 2015 (53,995).

The Green Hills Library polling location saw the most traffic with 8,029 votes cast, followed by Belle Meade City Hall (6,983) and Hermitage Library (6,535).

Who are the candidates for Nashville mayor?

Mayor John Cooper chose not to seek a second term, leaving the field wide open.

Twelve candidates stepped up to run for Nashville's top seat:

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote — likely in a crowded candidate pool — the top two vote-getters will compete in a Sept. 14 runoff election.

Who are the candidates for vice mayor?

Term-limited District 34 Council member Angie Henderson is challenging incumbent Vice Mayor Jim Shulman for the seat, which presides over Metro Council meetings, determines council committee assignments, casts tie-breaking votes and serves as mayor in the event of a mayoral vacancy.

At-large Metro Council race

Twenty one candidates are vying for the Metro Council's five at-large seats, which serve the county as a whole. Voters can select five at-large candidates on the ballot.

Any candidate who receives 10% or more of total votes and finishes in the top five will secure an at-large seat. If fewer than five candidates reach that vote total, the remaining seats will be decided in a runoff election with twice the number of candidates as open seats remaining.

More: The field for Nashville's at-large council seats is huge. Here's how the race breaks down.

Nashville District Council races

Of the 35 district Council seats on the ballot, 11 candidates are running unopposed:

  • Kyonztè Toombs, District 2 (incumbent)

  • Jennifer Gamble, District 3 (incumbent)

  • Erin Evans, District 12 (incumbent)

  • Russ Bradford, District 13 (incumbent)

  • Sheri Weiner, District 22

  • Brenda Gadd, District 24

  • Courtney Johnston, District 26 (incumbent)

  • Robert Nash, District 27 (incumbent)

  • Sandra Sepulveda, District 30 (incumbent)

  • Joy Styles, District 32 (incumbent)

  • Antoinette Lee, District 33 (incumbent)

More: Nashville election 2023: Key Metro Council races to watch

Tennessee House special elections

District 52 Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, is seeking reelection to his seat after being expelled for leading a gun-control protest in April (he was unanimously appointed by Metro Council to serve as interim days later). Laura Nelson is his Republican opponent for the seat.

Following the unexpected death of District 51 Rep. Bill Beck, D-Nashville, democrats Aftyn Behn and Anthony Davis are competing in a special primary. The primary winner will face Republican candidate David C. Hooven on Sept. 14.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville mayor election: How to vote, find precinct, see candidates