75K voters cast ballots in strong start for Tennessee early voting

More than 75,000 Tennessee voters cast their ballots in the first two days of early voting for the August primary election, according to data released by the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office.

That outpaces the same early voting period in the 2022 primary election by nearly 24,000 voters — a 47% increase.

This year’s ballot includes multiple high-profile competitive primaries, including a gubernatorial race with no incumbent and several races for newly redrawn U.S. Congressional districts.

Republicans U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Rep. John Rose and state Rep. Monty Fritts are vying for a spot on the November gubernatorial ballot. Democratic primary contenders include Memphis City Council member Jerri Green, Memphian Carnita Atwater, farmer Tim Cyr and Nashville-based steel guitar player Adam Kurtz.

Statewide, voters submitted 48,378 Republican ballots and 24,520 Democratic ballots, according to state data. 

The number of Democratic primary ballots eclipsed Republican ballots in four counties, including the state’s two most populous: Shelby County and Davidson County. Both counties have been long-time Democratic strongholds, and 2026 marks the first year that both are gerrymandered into multiple districts in an effort to give Republican candidates the upper hand.

Hardeman and Haywood counties in West Tennessee also saw more Democratic ballots pulled than Republican by a narrower margin.

Tennessee’s 17 urban counties saw primary voter turnout during the first two days of early voting increase 72% from 2022. Rural counties saw a 27% increase.

Notably, Gov. Bill Lee, the incumbent, ran unopposed in the 2022 Republican primary election, which may partly account for lower 2022 voter turnout. On the Democratic primary ballot, Jason Martin narrowly defeated Memphis Councilmember JB Smiley Jr.

But the 2022 primary also debuted a 5th U.S. Congressional district that broke the boundaries of Davidson County. Incumbent Jim Cooper, a Nashville Democrat who represented Nashville for two decades, bowed out of the race. State Sen. Heidi Campbell, a Nashville Democrat, ran unopposed on the Democratic primary ticket, but the Republican ticket was crowded with nine candidates. Maury County Republican Andy Ogles ultimately won the seat.