Here.

(From a Meares campaign spokesperson)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 7, 2008 - MARYVILLE, Tenn. - At polling locations throughout Blount County, voters are being told by election workers that they cannot vote in the Republican Primary and vote for Judge Mike Meares, a Democrat. This false information is intentionally meant to mislead Republican voters who may support Judge Mike Meares.

So far this morning, voters have been given incorrect voting instructions (pertaining to who they can and cannot vote for) in Townsend and at the Maryville High School polling locations in Blount County.

Election workers were given explicit instructions and know this information is false and misleading.

In another incident in Townsend, a young man named Dylon Watuki was holding a Judge Mike Meares sign when a vehicle swerved and tried to hit him. Later, a Townsend man named Claude Scarboro had a Judge Mike Meares sign physically pulled from his hands at the Townsend polling center. Police reports were filed in both incidents.

School officials told Martha Meares (Judge Mike Meares sister) this morning that signs were not permitted on school property. Tennessee law states that signs are permitted at polling locations provided signs are not placed within 100-feet of the entrance. Election law, not school policy, dictates what can and cannot take place at a polling center.

In Rockford, election workers were trying to keep sign-holding supporters 280-feet away from the polling center - more than twice the distance allowed under election law.

On Aug. 6, many Blount County residents reported that recorded phone messages were being made throughout Blount County telling voters they could only vote for the Republican candidate for Blount County Circuit Court Judge if they planned to vote in the Republican Primary. This is another false and misleading message meant to deny voter the right to choose the best candidate.

Stopped by the Alcoa precinct at lunchtime. Business was slow. A poll worker said it had been slow all day, as slow as he recalls ever seeing it.

Just as I arrived, a couple of Meares campaign workers were being asked to move their post a little further away from the polling place door. It was the second time. Poll workers were measuring it off with what looked like a sewing tape or something.

Here's Meares campaign worker Zack Nyein manning his station in its final resting place.

They had first set up to the left of the dumpster, closer to the polling place entrance near the orange cones. The boundary was not clearly marked, so they were guessing. A poll worker came out and asked them to move a little further away, pointing to the sign across the parking lot near the street, which you can see next to the entrance near the phone poles (the short white sign).

Their second setup appeared to be outside the boundary, but someone complained anyway so they moved again to this spot. Hope they're still there, and not forced to moved over to Springbrook Park or something.

Local races to watch:

• Mike Meares v. David Duggan, Circuit Court Judge Div. II

• Patrica Bell v. Brad Long, School Board District 6

State primaries of interest:

• Jim Bishop v. Raymond Finney v. Doug Overbey, R TN SEN 08

• Steve Hargis v. Jim Melton v. Tona Monroe-Ball v. Bob Ramsey, R TN REP 20

More state races of interest at TennViews...