Precinct officer Tanya Sherrell says she had never taken a provisional ballot before Tuesday. Photo credit Blake Farmer/WPLN
Davidson County election officials say they don’t yet know why, but huge numbers of provisional ballots were needed on Election Day. Several precincts ran out and had to be resupplied.
Provisional ballots are used in a few situations, including when someone doesn’t show up in the poll books as registered to vote.
In North Nashville, precinct officer Tanya Sherrell says she issued an unprecedented 30 provisional ballots.
“In the six years that I have worked, I’ve never done a provisional ballot. So after today, I am a master at provisional voting [laughs].”
Election Administrator Albert Tieche says right now, there’s no general explanation for the high number of provisional ballots, though he says the majority are not for lack of photo ID.
State election officials say it could be Wednesday before they have a total count of provisional ballots cast statewide.
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