Early voting gaining popularity

By The Associated Press

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — Early voting is gaining popularity in Tennessee.

Tennessee Election Commission Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins told the Chattanooga Times Free Press (http://bit.ly/MsM5Nk) this year’s early voting turnout is on track to surpass the last two comparable August elections.

“Early voting started in 1994, and you can see this progressive trend where more people are taking advantage of it,” Goins said. “It’s really becoming popular. We’ll have 40 to 50 percent of a typical election vote early.”

In 2008, about 206,000 votes came in early, 37 percent of the total. So far this year more than 117,000 people have voted already for the upcoming Aug. 2 election.

“What’s great about the 117,000 so far is that a lot of people wait until the last day of early voting to vote,” Goins said. “So you’re going to see those numbers jump substantially.”

Chattanooga resident Sherrie Ford said she has been voting early for years in order to avoid the crowds on Election Day.

“Especially if it is a really big election, it’s so crowded,” she said. “Usually early voting is not that crowded, and it’s easier to get in and out without having to stand in line.”