Election commission finalizes early-voting plan, staffing and certification timeline for Dec. 2 special election

The Davidson County Election Commission on a unanimous series of votes approved the early-voting schedule and locations, set multiple ballot-security and counting dates and authorized staff to begin notifying affected voters for the Dec. 2, 2025 special general election. The decisions were made at a meeting held at the West Conference Center in the Howard Office Building.

The commission approved putting the early voting schedule and locations that mirrored the primary into effect for the Dec. 2 election and voted to appoint poll officials needed for the election. Administrator Jeff Roberts told the commission the office had asked for about 325 poll officials and already had 368 people committed to serve.

The commission set a schedule of logistical actions to support the election. It approved October 15 at 9 a.m. in the Green Hills Room at the Metro Southeast location to relock and prepare provisional-ballot security bags and absentee ballot bins. The commission approved opening provisional bags on Dec. 3 at 9 a.m., the day after the election, with staff observers present. Commissioners also approved establishing the county absentee-counting board and setting December 5 as the certification date, with the chair to set the precise time once state guidance was available. To align the timeline, commissioners moved the provisional counting board to meet on Dec. 4 at 4 p.m.

Commissioners discussed the tight turnaround between counting and certification. Chair remarks and staff explanation emphasized that multiple counties participating in the special election had agreed on Dec. 5 for certification so that statewide paperwork and related steps could proceed together. Commissioners asked staff about contingency plans if provisional counting took longer; Roberts said the commission was not expecting large provisional volumes because the special election involved a single race and that many provisional cases would be straightforward district determinations.

Roberts also reported absentee and early numbers so far: 163 absentee requests received, of which 25 were not on permanent absentee lists; 48 absentee ballots had already been returned. He said the downtown library precinct remains closed because of a fire; those voters have been notified that their precinct will temporarily vote at the Howard Office Building for this election. Roberts said Metro Schools had decided to close on Oct. 7 and Dec. 2, which relieved operational complications at school polling sites for those dates.

All procedural motions on the early-voting schedule, poll official appointments, ballot-security dates, provisional-bag opening and certification scheduling passed after voice votes of "aye." No roll-call tallies were recorded on the record.

The commission instructed staff to publish and post any agenda changes at least 48 hours before meetings, as required by law, and to notify impacted precinct voters about temporary location changes.