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More than 385,000 voted early in Tennessee, according to figures from the Secretary of State. Brisk turnout at the polls set some early voting records. Numbers were especially high in the last few days of early voting.
In Davidson County, 11,406 people voted early on Tuesday. In total, 44,011 Nashville voters cast ballots, up from 32,897 who voted early in the 2008 presidential primary.
The bustling Hermitage Library was one of the top locations in Davidson County, with an overflowing parking lot and voters who were a bit surprised to find a line down the hallway on Tuesday.
“There’s a lot of people!” said Wanda Curry, of Hermitage. “I was very surprised. I like to early vote because I’ve made the mistake of not doing that before.”
“It was busy, but they moved us quickly,” said Charlie Brown, of Old Hickory.
They were among more than 11,000 voters who got to the polls on Tuesday alone. That rush of voters led to an early voting total of 44,011, which easily surpassed the Davidson County’s 2008 early voting turnout of 32,897, according to the Davidson County Election Commission.
More: View statewide early vote totals
Despite the wait in Hermitage, few complained, said voter Deborah Wright.
“I think most people seem to — by the quickness of them voting — they know who they want to vote for, so they cast their ballot and leave,” he said.
In most counties, the presidential contest is one of the only things on the ballot, other than selecting delegates for the party.
Statewide, Tennessee easily set a new early voting record. About two-thirds were Republican voters.
Almost all counties (85) surpassed their 2012 early vote totals. And more than half (53) of counties were even ahead of the tallies in 2008 — a hot race that picked eventual nominees John McCain and Barack Obama.
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