National Voter Registration Day was Tuesday.
Volunteers all over the United States coordinated an effort to raise awareness about the registration deadline and to help citizens sign up to vote in the upcoming election.
In Tennessee, the last date to register by mail or in person is Oct. 11. Early voting begins Oct. 19.
In Warren County, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party joined together in the registration effort by setting up a registration station on The Lot on Main Street, offering hot dogs, chips and drinks. The event was nonpartisan, meaning individuals were not encouraged on how they should vote. They were only encouraged to register and to vote.
“This isn’t about who you vote for,” said Dale McDaniel, Voter Registration chairperson for the Democratic Party. “This is about voting.”
“If you aren’t registered, you can’t vote,” said Ben Nixon, Republican Party chair. “We want to help people get registered.”
Tennessee ranks 50 out of 50 states in voter participation. During the most recent election held in August, Warren County voter turnout was laughable. Only 3,267 ballots were cast in the entire county, representing about 18 percent of the county’s 18,022 registered voters.
If you are not yet registered to vote and you live in Warren County, you can contact Warren County Election Commission at 473-5834. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.