Despite the heat, Bill Akin has been a mainstay at the entrance to Brentwood's early polling location.

GOP governor's primary pulls in voters
By SUSAN LEATHERS
Brentwood Home Page
At 11:15 a.m. Thursday, at total of 1038 votes had been cast in the state GOP primary and Williamson County general election at the satellite polling location set up at Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Election official Polly Wright, right, checks in voters on Thursday at Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

That’s almost a quarter of the total votes cast so far during early voting, which began Friday, July 16, and closes Saturday. Election Day is Thursday, Aug. 5.

“We’ve done better than the other satellite places,” election official Polly Wright said. She attributed the numbers to the fact that the 6th and 7th voting districts are the largest in the county. Also, any registered voter can vote in any of the satellite locations as well as at the county’s Administrative Complex in Franklin.

“The governor’s race pulls voters in,” Wright said. Though it’s a GOP primary, you don’t have to be a registered Republican cast votes for the GOP candidates. Tennessee does not require voters to declare a party when they register, Wright explained.

Among those voting Thursday morning, when a steady stream of voters came through the church’s glass doors, were Herschel and June Stewart. The former Wildwood residents now live just over the city limits in the retirement community of Morningside.

They chose to vote early for the convenience, and they chose Brenthaven because they didn’t want to travel to the county complex on W. Main Street.

Both said they thought the recent advertising campaigns by the gubernatorial candidates have gotten excessive.

“Too much money is spent,” June Stewart said, with Herschel adding “and it goes on far too long.”

He added, “Those ads cost a lot of money. There are many people and programs who need it a lot more than the TV stations.”

Early voting continues Friday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m.-noon. Early votes can be cast at the Brenthaven church, 516 Franklin Road, and the Old Nolensville Elementary School, 7250 Nolensville Road. For more information on the election, click here.