KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI) — Knox County election officials say voter turnout remains strong as early voting reaches the halfway point for the Nov. 3, 2026 election.
As of Wednesday evening, a total of 45,758 ballots had been cast countywide. That figure includes 43,631 in-person early votes and 2,127 absentee and nursing home ballots.
The latest figures show that 1,271 first-time voters have already participated in the election, while the oldest voter to cast a ballot in person during early voting was 104 years old.
Knox County currently has 274,381 registered voters.
Turnout Ahead of 2022 Pace
Early voting numbers are significantly ahead of where they stood at the same point during the 2022 midterm election.
After seven days of early voting:
- 2026: 43,631 early votes cast
- 2022: 28,002 early votes cast
- 2018: 60,262 early votes cast
Election officials note that the 2026 total includes only the first half of the early voting period, with another week remaining before Election Day.
Voting Activity Across Knox County
Countywide, voters living outside Knoxville city limits have cast the largest share of ballots, accounting for 28,082 votes so far. Within the City of Knoxville, 14,124 ballots have been cast, while voters in Farragut have submitted 3,552 ballots.
Officials emphasize that Tennessee voters do not register by political party. Any classifications listed as Republican or Democratic are based solely on the party primary a voter most recently participated in and are not official party registrations.
Older Voters Continuing to Lead Turnout
The largest share of ballots cast so far has come from voters age 55 and older.
According to election data:
- Ages 18-34: 3,961 votes
- Ages 35-54: 8,980 votes
- Ages 55 and older: 32,817 votes
The numbers suggest older voters continue to drive turnout during the early voting period.
Busiest Precincts
The highest-turnout precincts through the first seven days of voting include:
- Farragut Middle School (Precinct 66NW) – 1,401 votes
- Korean Church of Knoxville (Precinct 66SE) – 1,251 votes
- Amherst Elementary School (Precinct 70E) – 1,120 votes
- Rocky Hill Elementary School (Precinct 71) – 1,109 votes
- Karns High School (Precinct 63) – 1,096 votes
Several other West Knox County and Farragut-area precincts also rank among the county’s most active voting locations.
Early Voting Continues
Early voting will continue through Thursday, Oct. 29, at 11 locations throughout Knox County. Election officials are encouraging eligible voters to take advantage of early voting opportunities ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.
