Early voting for the upcoming county general election and state and federal primary elections will kick off Friday morning.

Leading up to this election local officials saw a spike in new voter registrations and are expecting a higher than average turnout for the election.

Featured on the ballot will be several contested races on both the local, state, and federal levels.

With so much interest in several of the races, Carter County Administrator of Elections Tracy Harris recommends residents consider casting their ballots during early voting so they can avoid the lines at the polls on Election Day.

Early voting will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 13 and conclude at 4 p.m. on July 28. During the early voting period, the polling place will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday and then from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturdays. This early voting period will see the polls open on a total of three Saturdays.

Early voting will be held at the Carter County Election Commission Office, which is located at 116 Holston Ave., Elizabethton.

Prior to the polls opening on Friday, the Election Commission will host a voting machine inspection as required by state law. Any candidate, political party official, or citizen can attend the inspection to ensure that machines are properly functioning and no votes are showing on the machines.

While early voting is ongoing, the Election Commission Office is a legal polling place, which means the 100-foot boundary on campaign materials is in effect for the entire office building as well as the parking area. Campaign materials such as signs, hats, t-shirts, buttons, or campaign literature are not allowed within 100 feet of a polling place under state law.

Overflow parking for early voting is available in the First Baptist Church parking lot which is located at the corner of Holston Avenue and East G Street, just across the road from the Election Commission. Harris said First Baptist Church has requested that no political signs be displayed on their property and no vehicles carrying or displaying political signs be parked in their parking lot.

Those taking part in early voting are asked not to park at the Carter County Health Department.

For more information on the upcoming election or to check your voter registration status, contact the Carter County Election Commission by calling 423-542-1822.