Early Voting Begins Wednesday

Early voting begins Wednesday (Oct. 15) for the Nov. 4 general election, and the DeKalb County Election Commission is encouraging voters to take advantage of that opportunity.
“If you go ahead and vote early, you will have that done and you won’t have to worry about potential lines on election day,” said Dennis Stanley, administrator of elections.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW SAMPLE BALLOT)
DekalbTN-G14-NewspaperInfinity.pdf (28.79 KB)
Voters can cast early ballots through Oct. 30 at the DeKalb County Courthouse on the square in Smithville. Early Voting will be available six days a week during the following hours: Mondays 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays
9 am. until 1 p.m., Wednesdays 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Thursdays 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. until noon.
Stanley urged local voters to educate themselves about the candidates, constitutional amendments on the ballot and the two City of Smithville liquor referendums before making their selections.
A sample ballot can be viewed at the election office, on the commission’s website at www.dekalbelections.com and at wjle.com.
Tennessee voters will elect a Governor, U.S. Senator, U.S. Congressmen, State Representatives, and State Senators.
The General Election Ballot also includes four proposed Tennessee Constitutional amendments.
Amendment #1 inserts constitutional language empowering the legislature to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion.
Amendment #2 empowers the Governor to appoint judges subject to confirmation by the General Assembly
Amendment # 3 prohibits the legislature from levying or permitting any tax upon payroll or earned personal income
Amendment #4 empowers the legislature to permit lotteries for events that benefit 501 (c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organizations.
The City of Smithville has two referendums on the ballot on November 4.
The Retail Package Store Referendum asks city voters to either vote “To permit retail package stores to sell beverages in Smithville” or “not to permit retail package stores to sell alcoholic beverages in Smithville”.
The Consumption on the Premises Referendum asks city voters to either vote “for legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Smithville” or “against legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Smithville.”
Candidates on the Tennessee General Election Ballot are as follows:
Governor:
Bill Haslam-Republican
Charles V. “Charlie” Brown-Democratic
Shaun Crowell-Constitution
Isa Infante-Green
Steven Damon Coburn-Independent
John Jay Hooker-Independent
Daniel T. Lewis-Independent (pending)
United States Senate:
Lamar Alexander-Republican
Gordon Ball-Democratic
Joe Wilmoth-Constitution
Martin Pleasant-Green
Tom Emerson, Jr.-Independent
Edmund L. Gauthier-Independent
Joshua James-Independent
Danny Page-Independent
Bartholomew J. Phillips-Independent
C. Salekin-Independent
Eric Schechter-Independent
Rick Tyler-Independent
U.S. House of Representatives (District 6)
Diane Black-Republican
Amos Scott Powers-Democratic
Mike Winton-Independent
Tennessee Senate (District 17)
Mae Beavers- Republican
Tennessee House of Representatives (District 40)
Terri Lynn Weaver- Republican
Sarah Marie Smith-Democratic
Tennessee House of Representatives (District 46)
Mark A. Pody-Republican
Candace Reed-Democratic
The actual wording on the ballot concerning the proposed constitutional amendments is as follows:
Constitutional Amendment 1
Shall Article I, of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated section:
Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.
□Yes
□No
Constitutional Amendment 2
Shall Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by deleting the first and second sentences and by substituting instead the following:
Judges of the Supreme Court or any intermediate appellate court shall be appointed for a full term or to fill a vacancy by and at the discretion of the governor; shall be confirmed by the Legislature; and thereafter, shall be elected in a retention election by the qualified voters of the state. Confirmation by default occurs if the Legislature fails to reject an appointee within sixty calendar days of either the date of appointment, if made during the annual legislative session, or the convening date of the next annual legislative session, if made out of session. The Legislature is authorized to prescribe such provisions as may be necessary to carry out Sections two and three of this article.
□Yes
□No
Constitutional Amendment 3
Shall Article II, Section 28 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following sentence at the end of the final substantive paragraph within the section:
Notwithstanding the authority to tax privileges or any other authority set forth in this Constitution, the Legislature shall not levy, authorize or otherwise permit any state or local tax upon payroll or earned personal income or any state or local tax measured by payroll or earned personal income; however, nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any tax in effect on January 1, 2011, or adjustment of the rate of such tax.
□Yes
□No
Constitutional Amendment 4
Shall Article XI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by deleting the following language:
All other forms of lottery not authorized herein are expressly prohibited unless authorized by a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house of the general assembly for an annual event operated for the benefit of a 501(c)(3) organization located in this state, as defined by the 2000 United States Tax Code or as may be amended from time to time.
and by substituting instead the following language:
All other forms of lottery not authorized herein are expressly prohibited unless authorized by a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house of the general assembly for an annual event operated for the benefit of a 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(19) organization, as defined by the 2000 United States Tax Code, located in this state.
□Yes
□No