NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — More Tennesseans voted in Tuesday's presidential election than ever before, breaking the previously set record in 2008.
A total of 3,045,401 people - more than 68% of active and inactive registered voters - cast ballots on Election Day, breaking the 2008 record of 2,618,238 voters who cast their ballots.
“For months, our office has worked with election commissions and health officials across the state to ensure that in-person voting was clean, safe and secure,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett said in a press release. “Traditionally, Tennesseans prefer to vote in-person. We’ve said it for months, and yet again, voters showed their confidence in the safety precautions in place and their preference to cast a ballot in-person by showing up in record numbers at the polls.”
Tuesday's total includes in-person early voting, in-person Election Day voting and voting by mail.
“We would not have seen the record numbers of voters have such a smooth voting experience during a pandemic without the months and countless hours of planning by Tennessee’s 95 election commissions, administrators, and staff,” said Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins in a press release. “Thanks to the roughly 17,000 poll officials who stepped up to serve their communities and carry out all the planning to provide Tennesseans with a safe and secure in-person voting experience.”
Tennessee also broke the early and absentee by-mail turnout record during the two-week early voting period.
Counties must submit certified election results to the Division of Elections by Monday, Nov. 23. Unofficial election results are available on the secretary of state's website.
