NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Deadly overnight tornadoes delayed the start of Super Tuesday presidential primary voting in Nashville and another Tennessee county, spurring elections officials to redirect voters from some polling places to alternate locations.
Some polling sites in Nashville’s Davidson County and Wilson County were moved, and sites across the two counties were opening an hour late but still closing at the same time, Secretary of State Tre Hargett announced. Gov Bill Lee said the state has deployed generators to polling stations that have reported that they don’t have power.
The death toll continued to climb Tuesday from the twisters, which shredded dozens of buildings. One of tornadoes caused severe damage across downtown Nashville.
“Of course we want people to exercise caution in areas like downtown Nashville where there’s damage in the streets and that sort of thing,” Lee said at a news conference Tuesday. “But we also want folks to exercise their rights and get out there and vote. It’s a very important day for that.”
Nashville Mayor John Cooper said alternate sites were arranged for 15 polling places out of the 169 precincts in Nashville’s combined city-county area.