Bradley County early voting set to begin

The Hopewell Elementary School marquee signs urges a yes vote. Many Cleveland and Bradley County schools have the same advertisement this summer.

Photo by Randall Higgins /Chattanooga Times Free Press.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Early voting begins Friday -- the 13th.

The Bradley County Election Commission already has noticed the coincidence, Mimi Angel, deputy administrator, said.

But no one seems to be concerned about it, she said.

One ballot question in the Aug. 2 election asks voters to decide if Bradley County should begin a $32 wheel tax. County officials have said the tax will generate enough money to leverage construction projects for schools, Walker Valley High School and Lake Forest Middle School in particular.

"There did not seem to be a late surge of registration because of the wheel tax question," Angel said.

Several schools, both city and county, are appealing on their entrance marquee signs for approval of the tax as a vote for school kids.

County school board Chairman Charlie Rose has asked voters to go to the county schools' website, bradleyschools.org, for explanations about the tax's importance to schools.

But some Bradley County Republican Party officials have urged a no vote, saying their opposition is not about education but that the county cannot afford more debt.

Bradley County has 61,479 registered voters eligible to take part in the Aug. 2 elections, Angel said. Early voting will be from Friday through July 28.