WHERE TO VOTE
Hamilton County› Brainerd Recreation Center, 1010 N. Moore Road. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.› Collegedale City Hall, 4910 Swinyar Drive. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.› Hixson Community Center, 5401 School Drive. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.› Hamilton County Election Commission office, 700 River Terminal Road. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.CARTA is offering rides to the polls between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday and Tuesday. Call 423-402-0077.Elsewhere in Tennessee› Bledsoe County: Bledsoe County Election Commission, 3150 Main St. in Pikeville. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. CDT.› Bradley County: Bradley County Election Commission, 155 Broad St. NW in Cleveland; Bradley Square Mall (beside Stadium BBQ & Grill), 200 Paul Huff Parkway NW, Suite 114; 2651 APD 40 (next to Planet Fitness). 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.› Marion County: Marion County Election Commission, 109 Academy Ave. in Jasper. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT› Sequatchie County: Sequatchie County Election Commission, 68 Spring St. in Dunlap. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Where to vote early in Georgia› Catoosa County: There are two open destinations here: The Freedom Center, 5238 Evitt St. in Ringgold, and Westside, 3319 Lakeview Drive in Rossville. Both sites are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.› Walker County: There are five places to vote here: Walker County Courthouse, 103 S. Duke St. in LaFayette. The elections office is on the first floor. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Rossville Municipal Civic Center, 400 MacFarland Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Lookout Mountain City Hall, 1214 Lula Lake Road, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Georgia Northwestern Technical College, 265 Bicentennial Trail in Rock Spring, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Chickamauga Civic Center, 1817 Lee Clarkson Road, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.› Whitfield County: County courthouse, 205 N. Selvidge St. in Dalton. The elections office is on the first floor. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.› Murray County: Courthouse annex, 121 N. Fourth Ave. in Chatsworth. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.› Gordon County: Elections office, 215 N. Wall St. in Calhoun. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.› Dade County: County administrative office, 71 Case Ave. in Trenton. Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is also open Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.› Chattooga County: County’s registrar’s office, 10072 Commerce St. in Summerville. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The rallies and rallying cries will reach another level this weekend, insults on social media will fly and the mud-slinging TV commercials will be as prevalent as Flo slinging Progressive Insurance.
Heck, in Georgia, Oprah is going to throw her support into the governor's race.
Welcome to the final days of the 2018 election season.
Today is the last day of early voting in Tennessee. Georgia residents can early vote through Friday.
I voted on Halloween, which seemed fitting with all the political horror stories on social media and the scariness around the fright-filled political spectrum of today.
At the Hamilton County Election Commission, the line at 12:20 p.m. - the lunch-time crunch one diligent pollster told me - stretched out the double doors and curved around the sidewalk.
Voters stood patiently in line: old and young, black, white and international; men and women. Folks in coats and ties and others in cutoffs and tie-dyed shirts. The scene was uniquely individual and individually all-inclusive, a place where everyone's voice has the same merit and magnitude.
Sure, in Tennessee the races that have grabbed most headlines are the ones featuring candidates to be our state's next CEO and candidates to succeed Bob Corker in the U.S. Senate. And don't forget the cash that has been spent by the Senate hopefuls - $50 million.
All the races on your ballot matter. Regardless of age or voting experience, making your mark and your voice heard is of the utmost importance. Especially right now.
"That's right. This is my first time voting," Justin Metcalf said Wednesday after he filled in the ovals at the Election Commission. "In this current political climate, it's never been more important to vote."
Metcalf was not registered to vote two years ago, and he said he still regrets it. So now the UTC student is an active participant in the political process. He will be part of a protest of President Donald Trump on Sunday at McKenzie Arena, he said.
Harold Estes said he also will be at McKenzie Arena on Sunday, but he will be cheering rather than protesting.
Estes, a Harrison resident who is 80 years young, said Wednesday was part of the political process that he never takes for granted. And never misses.
"Too many to remember," Estes said when asked how many times he has voted. "I don't think I've ever missed one."
Estes wore a "Make America Great Again" hat Wednesday and put his "I Voted" Tennessee sticker on the front, right above the bill.
But truth be told, each had an equally meaningful voice Wednesday because they voted.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343.