NASHVILLE - Tennesseans continued casting record numbers of in-person and absentee-by-mail ballots on Wednesday in the Nov. 3 presidential election after Volunteer State voters earlier in the week burst through the previous record set four years ago.
Secretary of State Tre Hargett said 1,808,546 voters had cast their ballots through Monday in the presidential election, exceeding the 1,689,989 Tennesseans who voted early or absentee-by-mail during the entire 2016 presidential race.
So far, 38% of Tennessee's 4.43 million registered voters have cast ballots in 2020. Early voting continues through Thursday. The general election is Tuesday.
"This election, Tennesseans are engaged and are taking advantage of the convenience of early voting," said Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett. "In the final days of early voting as well as on Election Day, Tennesseans can cast their votes in a clean, safe, and secure environment."
Hamilton County voters have exceeded 2016 early voting and absentee-by-mail totals as well: According to Hamilton County Election Commission figures through Tuesday, 88,326 people had cast ballots, 72,417 voting at in-person polling stations while another 15,909 voted by mail as Tennessee's strict standards on who can cast absentee ballots were relaxed as a result of the coronavirus.
Compare that to 2016, when 74,751 Hamilton Countians cast in-person or absentee ballots.
We may not know results on election night
Election night usually ends with results. This year will probably be different due to record-breaking early voting and the deluge of voting by mail-in ballots. Read more on how the Times Free Press plans to handle this and where we get information on election results.
Georgia voters also continued to set new records on early voting and absentee-by-mail ballots. Polling shows the contest between Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden is tight and state voters are also voting in two separate U.S. Senate contests.
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday Georgians had cast 3.389 million ballots. In-person ballots accounted for 2.29 million of those and another 1.099 million cast absentee mail ballots.
"Georgia is a leader in election access," said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. "Notwithstanding the pandemic, voters in the Peach State can take advantage of no-excuse absentee ballot voting by mail or through a secure drop box; three weeks of early, in-person voting; or Election Day voting."
In-person early voting ends Thursday in both Tennessee and Georgia.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow on Twitter @AndySher1.