Bring the Kids to the Polls: Early Voting in Blount County Runs Through October 29
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, and early voting in Blount County runs through Thursday, October 29. If you have ever wondered whether you can bring a kid along and still get through the line in under half an hour, the answer is basically yes. It is one of the easiest real-world civics lessons you will find around Maryville, and it costs nothing.
Here is what is actually on the ballot in Blount County on November 3: the state and federal general election, plus municipal races for Maryville, Alcoa, and Louisville, all on the same day. So this is a year where one trip covers a lot.
Early voting runs October 14 through October 29, no excuse needed, and any registered Blount County voter can use any of these sites:
- Blount County Public Library, 508 N Cusick Street, Maryville. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Blount County Operations Center, 1227 McArthur Road, Maryville. Same hours as the library.
- Everett Recreation Center, 318 S Everett High Road, Maryville. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Pellissippi State Community College, 2731 W Lamar Alexander Parkway, Friendsville. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Providence Baptist Church Annex, 5766 Sevierville Road, Seymour. Opens Monday, October 19, and runs Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
You need a valid photo ID, the kind that works at the bank or the driver services office, and any registered voter can use any of the sites, not just the one near home. Kids do not need any ID if they are not voting.
On Election Day itself, Tuesday, November 3, you have to use the polling place assigned to your precinct, so it is worth checking your voter information ahead of time if you are planning to go that route. The Blount County Election Commission office is at 383 Court Street in Maryville, (865) 273-5920, if you have any questions.
For the kids, try a weekday morning or early afternoon when the line is shorter. The lunch hour and the after-work stretch at the library can pick up. The library and the operations center both fold easily into a normal errand run, and your child gets to watch the grown-ups do their civic duty while you get a small, concrete thing to point to when you talk about how the country works.
You do not need tickets, a costume, or much patience on a quiet afternoon. Just an ID and a curious kid, and you are done in about twenty minutes.