Rutherford County Voting Change Aims For Convenience

MURFREESBORO, TN — Rutherford County will be an Election Day Petri dish next year, testing a new system that officials say makes casting a ballot more convenient. If it proves its worth, it could be implemented statewide.

The county, Tennessee's fifth largest, is reducing its number of voting precincts from 49 to 28 and spreading them out through the county and while there will be fewer places to vote, people will be able to cast ballots at any of them, not just their assigned precinct.

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"Basically, what we’re doing is we’re taking the concept of early voting and applying it on Election Day.” county elections administrator Alan Farley told WSMV. “Under the old format you had one option, a location for you to go vote on Election Day that was assigned – only one. Now, you have 28 options to go vote.”

Voting machines at each site will increase as well. The state legislature approved the pilot project in 2015. The plan is expected to save $50,000.

Rutherford County is also the home of a significant number of commuters into Nashville and anyone who regularly drives Interstate 24 during rush hour can attest that getting anywhere conveniently or on time is difficult. Farley told WSMV that when selecting the retained precincts, he intends to keep that in mind, positioning some near the county line, so commuters have the chance to vote the second they cross Hurricane Creek.

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