NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — While people in places like Nashville and Shelby County have requested a record number of absentee ballots, a majority of them have not sent the ballot back to be counted.
Figures released from the Davidson County (Nashville) Election Commission show 28,085 people requested absentee ballots for the upcoming August 6th statewide election.
By comparison, around 7,000 absentee ballots were requested in 2016 for the November presidential race at the top of the ticket.
What has raised some concern is that less than half of the requested August absentee ballots have been returned and signed by voters. 12,431 absentee ballots–as of July 21st– have been returned for counting says Davidson County Election Administrator Jeff Roberts.
“That’s a bit surprising to have 15,000 absentee ballots not returned yet,” added Roberts.
He says absentee ballots requests must be received at election commission offices by July 30th.
Return ballots must received no later than the close of polls on election day August 6th.
Similar stories of non-returned absentee ballots can be found in other areas of the state.
A spokesperson for the Shelby County Election Commission says there have been 15,103 absentee ballot requests as of Wednesday.
As for returned absentee ballots, the spokesperson said “several hundred have been received and there is a massive stack waiting to be counted.”
Election officials say those who show up to vote in person after not returning an absentee ballot will be given a provisional ballot.
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