Welcome back to On the Ballot, The Daily Memphian’s election newsletter. Candidates are gearing up for the official election day next Tuesday, but as The Daily Memphian political reporter Bill Dries always reminds us, most of the local residents who plan to vote will do so by the end of early voting Thursday, Oct. 31. Overall, Shelby County’s early voting numbers are still down, compared to the last election cycle, but some polling places have seen crowds. Republican and Democratic candidates and other partisans even turned up at the same time Saturday, Oct. 26, outside Germantown’s New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, once the busiest early voting site by turnout. (It was surpassed, by 125 voters, by Harmony Church in Bartlett recently in the 10-day totals.) At The Daily Memphian, we’re keeping a close eye on two state House seats (District 83 and 97) that could potentially flip from red to blue. We’re also keeping a close watch on the City of Memphis’ referenda. Two of them speak to the business of elections, with questions about whether city voters want runoffs during mayoral races and if there should be residency and age requirements for Memphis’ mayor and City Council members. Another referendum, which comes in three parts, focuses on gun laws within the city. That measure won’t actually change anything — state law supersedes it even if approved — but it’s seen as a symbolic measure against Tennessee’s Republican supermajority. The Memphis City Council has also vowed to enact a trigger law, similar to what was done at the state level with abortion prior to Roe v. Wade being overturned, should the referendum pass. For more election coverage or information about voting, visit https://dailymemphian.com/elections. During early voting and running through Wednesday, Nov. 6, The Daily Memphian’s local election coverage is free to all of our readers. And one last thing! If you value The Daily Memphian’s election coverage and it’s helped you vote, please consider making a donation to our organization. Our journalists can’t do this coverage without local support.
Political Roundup: Early voting tops 175k, and Nordstrom-White on school vouchers
By Bill Dries
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Updated: November 06, 2024 10:59 AM CT
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Noah Nordstrom (background), campaigns for the State House District 83 seat that is currently held by Mark White (foreground). Both talked to voters at New Bethel Baptist Church in Germantown Saturday morning, Oct. 26, 2024. (Greg Campbell/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Democratic and Republican partisans met Saturday, Oct. 26, on the parking lot of the county’s most popular early voting site while Trump supporters waved banners on Poplar Avenue. Four days of early voting remain.
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