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The 2008 presidential election started in earnest locally with the start of early voting Wednesday. More than 1,100 Blount Countians cast their ballots in the run-up to the Nov. 4 election.

"It's been very steady but very smooth," Administrator of Elections Libby Breeding said at around 4:15 p.m. "(At the courthouse), 900-even voted. We just closed the polls."

There were no final early voting numbers available at press time. The Everett Gym polling location closed at 7 p.m., three hours later than the Election Commission offices.

This is Breeding's first presidential election with Blount County.

Voters are choosing among Democrat Barack Obama, Republican John McCain and several independent candidates for the next U.S. president. "It's much heavier than any other election I've been at (here)," she said.

Dave Bennett, the Blount County Republican Party chairman, said his party will be aggressively pushing the vote.

"We will be having phone banks and offering rides," he said. "There will be a huge phone bank that our local McCain/Palin coordinators will be coordinating. There will be a huge push. There will be several thousand phone calls made during the next few weeks."

Dave Finch, chairman of the Blount County Democratic Party, said his party will emphasize the importance of early voting.

"As you might guess, we're dovetailing into the Obama campaign," McCain said. "They are actively pressing voters to vote early. We are calling individual voters, giving them early voting information and encouraging them to vote early as soon as possible."

Early voting is convenient, Finch said. "Unless you really just enjoy standing in lines, it's a real good idea to get your vote in early."

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., a Blount County resident, cast his vote at the courthouse Wednesday afternoon. He also encouraged people to vote early or on election day itself. He referred to voting habits in Australia where his family once lived.

"We lived in Australia for six months," Alexander said. "There it's a holiday and you're required to vote. Voting is too low in the United States."

Many choices

Besides president, voters have a range of other choices in the election. In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Alexander faces Robert D. Tuke, a Democrat, and six independent candidates.

In the 2nd District House of Representatives race, incumbent John J. Duncan Jr. faces Democrat Bob Scott.

County Commissioner Robert Ramsey is unopposed for the 20th District House slot, unless he is challenged by a write-in candidate.

State Rep. Doug Overbey. a Republican, faces independent Ira Lapides of Gatlinburg in the 8th State Senatorial District race.

Incumbent 8th District state Rep. Joe McCord, a Republican, has no opposition.

In the city of Alcoa municipal election, Clayton G. Bledsoe, Ken White and George Williams are running for two Board of Commissioners slots. In the Alcoa Board of Education race, current members Charles Cameron and Steve Marsh and candidate Johnelle Jackson are running for three slots.

In the Louisville election, Steve Dixon, Joe Gallagher and Michael Mund are competing for two Board of Aldermen slots.

In the Maryville city election, Mayor Joe Swann and Council Member Tom Taylor are on the ballot for re-election. Doug Jenkins, Bethany Hodson Pope and Charles West are competing for two slots on the Maryville Board of Education.

Sales tax referendum

Also on the ballot is a referendum to increase the local option sales tax by one-half cent with most of the revenue going for education. A citizens group, Blount Countians for Educational Excellence, has pushed for the referendum.

Based on 2007 sales tax receipts, the group estimates the added tax would raise $7,772,028 annually with 2 percent increases each year. Blount County Schools' share would be $2.9 million.

Under state law, cities and counties in Tennessee can levy up to a 2.75 percent local option sales tax. The local option in Blount stands at 2.25 percent.

In Townsend, there is a referendum on the ballot to allow the legal sale of wine in the resort town.