Voter Turnout Just Over 26%

Cocke County Administer of Elections, Josh Blanchard, says that Cocke County’s voter turnout, though small, still outpaced numerous other counties in East Tennessee. Just over 26% of registered voters bothered to vote in the primary, which saw Joe Shults upset incumbent Rob Mathis for the republican nomination for Cocke County Mayor. Blanchard says voter interest in local races is down everywhere in East Tennessee compared to a generation ago, but when you consider there were only four contested races in the republican primary in Cocke County, the county had a decent turnout.

The next election comes on august 6. This will be the County General election, and the republican and democratic primaries for state and federal offices.

Then the last election this cycle will be on November 3. This will be the general election for state and federal. A lot is on the line in the federal election, as this will decide who controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term in office.

The November 3 election will also be the municipal elections for the City of Newport and the Town of Parrottsville. Candidate qualifying for the city elections will start June 22.