Khristy WilkinsonEarly voting locations
In Hamilton County, early voting begins Wednesday and runs through Nov. 3.The following is a list of early voting polling locations. A photo ID is required to vote.Brainerd Recreation Center 1010 North Moore Road Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.Eastwood Baptist Church 4300 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.North River Civic Center 1009 Executive Drive, Suite 102 Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.Election Commission Office 700 River Terminal Road Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.For information, visit elect.hamiltontn.gov.
NASHVILLE - With Tennessee legislative races heading into their final weeks, the latest state financial disclosures show incumbent state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, enjoyed a nearly 12-to-1 cash advantage over Democratic challenger Khristy Wilkinson.
Third quarter disclosures, filed with the state's Registry of Election Finance, show Gardenhire had $150,771 in the bank as of Sept. 30. Wilkinson, meanwhile, reported $13,080 in cash on hand.
Early voting in the Nov. 8 general election begins Wednesday.
Gardenhire, seeking a second four-year term in the Senate, raised $51,105 during the period and spent $32,951.
But the senator started from a stronger financial position than Wilkinson, with $132,617.
Gardenhire's expenditures included $9,500 for "market research" with Metarie, La.-based polling firm Multi-Quest. Wilkinson recently charged Gardenhire with employing someone to do a "push poll" that distorted her views.
The senator also spent more than $20,000 for printing signs and direct mail.
His largest single contribution - $7,000 - came from a political action committee named MCPAC. The PAC is associated with lobbyist David McMahan, one of the state Capitol's top hired hands, whose firm's clients include liquor store retailers, tobacco and coal mining companies.
Other Gardenhire contributors included David Watson and Debbie Watson of Lookout Mountain. Watson is CEO of Mountain View Ford. The National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund gave $300. JMS PAC, associated with Cleveland, Tenn., payday loan king Allan Jones, gave $1,000. Signal Mountain attorney John Konvalinka contributed $2,000.
Wilkinson, a former UTC adjunct professor, spent $9,580. Some $3,000 of that went for signs in the district which includes most of Chattanooga, East Ridge and portions of rural Republican-leaning Bradley County.
She raised $22,323 in the third quarter.
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, whose aide Nick Wilkinson lost the Aug. 4 Democratic primary to Khristy Wilkinson in a three-person contest, gave $500 to Khristy Wilkinson, who is not related to Nick Wilkinson.
Olan Mills II, former owner of the Olan Mills Portrait Studios, and two Mills family members each gave $1,500 for a total of $4,500 to Wilkinson's effort.
The Tennessee Education Association, the teachers' union, had a $1,700 in-kind contribution for polling while the Senate Democratic Caucus contributed $4,750. Her next largest contributor was the Iron Workers Local Union 704 with $2,500.
Meanwhile, state disclosures show that Nick Wilkinson, who raised $80,000, spent nearly $52,000 in the three-person Democratic primary contest with Khristy Wilkinson and Ty O'Grady. He still had $28,633 in cash on hand as of Sept. 30.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.
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Here's a sample of what the ballot will look like in Hamilton County for the Nov. 8 general election and a list of where you can vote. For a list of early voting locations click here. For more voting information click here.