More people have already voted in Tipton County than turned out for the entire May county primary — and there’s still nearly a week of early voting left before Election Day.

Through the first seven days of early voting, 3,639 ballots had been cast in Tipton County, according to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Division of Elections. With 40,145 registered voters, that’s about 9.1% turnout so far.

For comparison, turnout for the May 5 county primary finished at 8.01%.

Early voting is running well ahead of recent elections

This year’s pace is significantly ahead of the last two comparable election cycles.

After seven days of early voting:

• 2026: 3,639 voters
• 2022: 1,579 voters
• 2018: 2,318 voters

Compared to 2022, Tipton County has recorded 2,060 more early voters, a 130.46% increase.

Compared to 2018, the county is up 1,321 voters, or 56.99%.

Among Tennessee’s 95 counties, Tipton ranks 10th in percentage growth over 2022 and seventh over 2018.

Turnout has remained steady

Tipton County has averaged about 520 voters per day through the first seven days of early voting.

Opening day brought the largest turnout with 768 voters. Saturday, July 18 saw 254 voters, while the remaining weekdays ranged from 440 to 587 voters.

Rather than seeing a large spike followed by a slowdown, turnout has remained relatively consistent throughout the first week.

If the current pace continues

If Tipton County continues averaging about 520 voters per day through the remaining six days of early voting, the county would finish with approximately 6,760 early votes.

That would represent about 16.8% of the county’s 40,145 registered voters before Election Day even begins, and would more than double the May 5 turnout before polls open on Aug. 6.

Participation during the final week of early voting and on Election Day will determine the final turnout.

A Republican county, but Democratic turnout is growing fastest

Of Tipton County’s 3,639 early voters, 2,804 requested Republican ballots and 785 requested Democratic ballots — a roughly 77%-to-22% split that leans more Republican than the state as a whole, where the divide runs closer to 65%-32%.

But the growth is coming from both sides.

Republican turnout in the county is up 112.3% over 2022 and 53.8% over 2018.

Democratic turnout, while a smaller slice of the electorate, is growing even faster: up 245.8% over 2022 and 66.7% over 2018 — the third- and fourth-largest percentage increases, respectively, of any county’s Democratic turnout in the state after the first week.

The trend extends across Tennessee

Tipton County isn’t the only place seeing increased voter participation.

Statewide, 299,116 people voted during the first seven days of early voting.

That’s:

• 90,750 more voters than at the same point in 2022 — an increase of 43.55%.
• 24,489 more voters than at the same point in 2018 — an increase of 8.92%.

According to the Secretary of State’s data, 68 counties are ahead of their 2022 early voting pace, while 40 counties have exceeded their 2018 pace through the first seven days of early voting.

Early voting continues through Saturday, Aug. 1, ahead of the Thursday, Aug. 6 election.

Follow the numbers yourself. Paper Folds News is tracking Tipton County’s early voting totals every day through Election Day at Vote Tipton, our interactive voter guide. You’ll also find candidate Q&As, our blind candidate quiz, and campaign finance reports for every race on the ballot. Check it out at paperfoldsnews.com/votetipton.