Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: Tennessee voters are casting their ballots on Thursday, August 6, in one of the state’s most significant primary elections in years, with an open governor’s race, U.S. Senate contests and numerous local offices on the ballot.
The election comes after Gov. Bill Lee reached his term limit, creating a rare open race for governor, while voters also choose party nominees for Congress, the state legislature and several county positions before the November general election. Polls remain open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and eligible voters must present a valid government-issued photo ID to cast their ballots.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: Why is the Tennessee Primary Election Important?
This year’s primary is drawing attention because Tennessee will elect a new governor for the first time in eight years. Republican Gov. Bill Lee cannot seek another term because of constitutional term limits, leaving both parties with competitive gubernatorial primaries.
Voters are also selecting nominees for the U.S. Senate, all nine U.S. House seats, state legislative races and several county-level offices.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: When Will Results Be Available?
Polls close at 7 p.m. local time across much of Tennessee. Initial results are expected shortly after voting ends, while closely contested statewide and local races may take longer as counties continue reporting vote totals.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: Polling Time
Polling for the Tennessee Primary Election 2026 will take place on Thursday, August 6, with voting scheduled from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Voters who are in line before the polls close will still be allowed to cast their ballots.
Election officials expect the first unofficial results to begin arriving shortly after voting ends, while final outcomes in closely contested statewide and local races may take several hours as counties continue counting ballots.
Eligible voters must carry a valid federal or Tennessee government-issued photo ID to vote in person.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: Who is Running for Tennessee Governor?
Republican Candidates
- Marsha Blackburn
- John Rose
- Monty Fritts
Democratic Candidates
- Jerri Green
- Carnita Atwater
- Tim Cyr
- Adam “Ditch” Kurtz
- Kevin Lee McCants
The Republican race has attracted the most attention as the party seeks to retain control of the governor’s office in the strongly Republican state.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: US Senate Race
Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty is seeking another term and faces no Republican primary challenger.
Five Democrats are competing for their party’s nomination:
- Marquita Bradshaw
- Maria Brewer
- Kevin Lee McCants
- Civil Miller-Watkins
- Diana Onyejiaka
The Democratic winner will challenge Hagerty in the November general election.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: Key Local Elections
In several counties, including Lincoln County, voters are also deciding:
- County Mayor
- Sheriff
- County Commission races
- School Board seats
- Circuit Court Clerk
- County Clerk
- County Trustee
- Register of Deeds
Several county offices feature unopposed candidates, while sheriff, mayor and county commission contests remain closely watched at the local level.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: Early Voting Shows Stronger Democratic Participation
Election officials reported increased participation during the early voting period, which ran from July 17 through August 1.
Both parties saw turnout rise compared with the 2022 midterm cycle, but Democratic participation increased at a faster pace in several counties. Analysts say Tennessee’s updated congressional district boundaries and the open governor’s race may have contributed to higher voter engagement.
Tennessee Primary Election 2026 Live News: What ID Do Tennessee Voters Need?
Voters must present a valid government-issued photo ID, including:
- Tennessee driver’s license
- U.S. passport
- U.S. military photo ID
- Tennessee or federal government-issued photo ID
- Tennessee handgun carry permit with a photograph
Student IDs, municipal IDs, out-of-state driver’s licenses and Tennessee IDs issued to non-U.S. citizens are not accepted.
