2024 Presidential Preference Primary & Knox County Primary Election

Last Day to Request an Absentee Ballot: Tuesday, February 27, 2024

EARLY VOTING: Wednesday, February 14 to Tuesday, February 27, 2024 (excluding Sundays)

Election Day: Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Sample Ballot - For the Democratic Ballot, go to Page 2, Columns 2 & 3
(I'm certainly glad that Democrats don't have to vote for Presidential Delegates. What a waste of time.)

New voting machines. Hart Intercivic, Verity electronic machines with printed ballot. Blount County is using these same machines for the first time. There is a youtube videos at the Election Commission site showing how the machines can be used.

Blount County Election Commission

Early Voting Locations:

Foothills Mall Monday - Saturday / 10 am - 6 pm
197 Foothills Mall Drive
Maryville, TN 37801

Blount County Public Library Monday - Friday / 11 am - 7 pm
Sharon Lawson Room
508 North Cusick Street
Maryville, TN 37804

Everett Gym Monday - Friday / 11 am - 7 pm
318 South Everett High Road
Maryville, TN 37804

Pellissippi Campus Monday - Friday / 8 am - 4 pm
2731 West Lamar Alexander Parkway
Friendsville, TN 37737

Providence Baptist Church Annex Monday - Friday / 11 am - 7 pm
5766 Sevierville Road
Seymour, TN 37865

Saturday, June 6, 2015, Free Fishing Day, is when anyone can fish in Tennessee public waters without a license.

Children ages 15 and younger may fish without a license beginning on Saturday, June 6, 2015 through the following Friday, June 12, 2015.
Note, children ages 13 and younger can fish without a license anytime.

Several kids fishing events are being held during this time.

Maryville-Alcoa-Blount Parks and Recreation is hosting the Duck Pond Fishing Derby for Kids on Saturday, June 6, 2015, from 8 AM to 1 PM. Fishing event for ages 3 to 15, goodie bags, food, games, and water play area are available for participants after fishing
There is a registration fee, $7 in advance, $10 day of event - please contact for more informaton.
Kelly Forster, Parks and Recreation
Phone: 865-983-9244
Email: kforster@parksrec.com

Blount County social/economic factors are great as is education, Blount County ranks 59th in the physical environment category.

According to the "County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, Blount County ranks high in overall health.

Sure do wish locals/Tennesseans care more about the physical environment.

The Tennessee State Board of Education upheld Monday the Blount County Board of Education’s denial of a charter to HOPE (Hands-On, Progressive Education) Academy.

The group trying to open a charter school in Blount County is free to apply again in 2012. How much money and time is spent by our local school system trying to fend off predators instead of being able to educate our young people?

Many thanks to Blount County Schools for working so hard to defend our local school system.

The Tennessee State Treasurer "has ruled that establishing the school would not have a substantial negative fiscal impact on Blount County Schools."

Not a "substantial negative fiscal impact"? Could have a negative impact though? Maybe The Daily Times reporter could ask the state rep to define substantial and obtain details on the analysis that determined this ruling. School systems all over the region, state, and country are fighting to provide a decent education with funding cutbacks. Why would anyone want to approve an effort that could have any kind of negative fiscal impact on the system?

Tab Burkhalter, Blount County commissioner and local attorney, and his merry band of Hope, first approached the City of Alcoa about opening a charter school. That didn't work out so well.

They then approached Blount County School Board. Denied.

They've asked for $1 million of Blount County's school budget, but have no plan. They can offer nothing more than is already offered by the Blount County school system.

Many thanks to the Blount County School Board for this wise decision.

The City of Maryville unemployment rate dropped from 19.6% in July, 2009 to 9.8% in August, 2009. It all happened with smoke and mirrors.

Our friend and fellow blogger Russ McBee in Knoxville has graciously agreed to produce the Tennessee progressive blog roundup for the rest of August. (Thanks, Russ!)

Here is Russ's installment for this week, with a look at what Tennessee's best bloggers are talking about.

Knox Co. Commissioner Mark Harmon has an outsanding letter to his State Senator regarding the current efforts to undermine Tennessee's Open Meetings Act. It seems appropriate in the current political climate here.