Early voting begins today in the Aug. 1, 2024, election. 

Early voting runs through July 27, at 11 sites around the county.

This is the general election for Knox County offices, and the primary election for state and federal offices. Early voting will run through July 27 at 11 locations around the county. You can vote at any of them, regardless of where in the county you live.

Hours at most early voting places are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays. A few locations have different hours, so be sure to check the list before you go.

You can find sample ballots and full information at the website of the Knox County Election Commission.

There are seven Knox County Commission seats on the ballot, along with four school board seats. All have contested races except for the 8th District school board race. There are also two contested countywide races, for law director and property assessor. And two contested state legislative primaries: on the Democratic side in state House District 15, and the Republican side in state Senate District 6.

As usual here at Compass, we are moving all of our election coverage outside the paywall. We have assembled the links to our stories on individual races below, and they are free to read and share.

State Legislature Primaries

State House District 15: Incumbent Rep. Sam McKenzie and County Commissioner Dasha Lundy square off in the Democratic primary in a reliably Democratic district.

State Senate District 6: Incumbent Becky Massey faces a rare Republican primary challenge from newcomer Monica Irvine. 

Countywide Offices

Law Director: Incumbent Republican David Buuck faces a challenge from Democrat Jackson Fenner in a rematch from 2020.

Property Assessor: Republican Phil Ballard, who held the seat previously, is running against Democratic newcomer Drew Harper.

County Commission

District 1: Democrat Damon Rawls and Republican Charles Frazier face off to represent the county’s most urban and racially diverse district.

District 2: One of Commission’s two Democrats seeks reelection in the urban North Knoxville district, against a Republican Realtor and an independent police officer.

District 4: Two well-funded moderates face off in the deeply purple precincts of West Knoxville.

District 5: In Farragut, a Republican homeowner’s advocate who helped fight off affordable housing faces a Democratic doctor.

District 6: A young Democrat challenges the well-established Republican Commission chair in growth-choked Hardin Valley and Karns.

District 8: Two candidates dedicated to preserving agricultural heritage are on the ballot in rural East Knox County.

District 9: An unusual three-way race makes things interesting in the hills and neighborhoods of South Knox County

Board of Education

District 2: Incumbent Jennifer Owen is seeking a third term as an independent candidate, facing Democrat Anne Templeton and Republican-leaning independent Pat Polis.

District 3: One way or another, the race between Republican Angie Goethert and Democrat Patricia Fontenot-Ridley will tip the partisan balance on the Board of Education.

District 5: Two first-time candidates — Republican Lauren Morgan and Democrat Terrye Whitaker — vie for an open seat in Farragut.