CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Voting was slow but steady through the lunch hour here today, according to Bradley County election officials.
A few people were waiting to vote when the polls opened at 8 a.m., including Walker Valley, the senior center and Michigan Avenue, officials said.
"We've been on the phone steadily,'' said election inspector Jean Sneed, at the halfway point of election day. "That usually means the turnout is steady too,'' she said.
Poll worker phone calls to the election office usually seek verification of addresses before someone votes.
There could still be a surge of voters around 5 p.m., when people get off from work, said Dana Burgner, a long-time member of the Bradley County Election Commission.
At mid-afternoon there were no lines at Stuart or Oak Grove and none reported at any of the other 17 county precincts.
Early voting accounted for 8,155 votes in Bradley County. Early voting results are usually reported shortly after the polls close at 8 p.m.
Bradley County has over 58,000 registered voters, according to the election commission office.