Sec. Of State Hargett Notes Challenges For Election Officials

We are now less than four weeks away from going to the polls for the November 5 election. The flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has caused election officials in six East Tennessee counties to re-arrange their operation for the election. Here in Cocke County, the election commission moved their office to the Early Voting site in the Western Plaza Shopping Center and opened up a post office box for correspondence by mail.

On Wednesday, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett has spoken with and visited with local elections officials in each county including Josh Blanchard here in Cocke County. Hargett says his office is committed to providing the necessary resources to the affected counties as they prepare to continue conducting a safe and secure election.

Early voting for the November 5 election begins next Wednesday, Oct. 16, and it continues through Thursday, Oct. 31. That new post office box address for the Cocke County Elections Commission is:

P.O. Box 459, Newport, TN 37822.