The deadline to register to vote in the November 4 elections is Monday, Oct. 6.
Two referendums concerning the sale of alcohol in the city of Smithville will be on the ballot. One referendum will ask voters to choose "To permit retail package stores to sell alcoholic beverages in Smithville" or "not to permit retail package stores to sell alcoholic beverages in Smithville".
The other will ask Smithville voters to cast ballots "for legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Smithville" or "against legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Smithville."
Smithville residents rejected an on premises consumption referendum 402-333 in June 2012, and rejected retail liquor stores in the city limits in November 2012. Tennessee code requires that a full two years must pass before another liquor referendum can be held, and the mandated period will end just in time for the November election.
Meanwhile, voters statewide will cast ballots for governor, U.S. senators, U.S. congressmen, state representatives and state senators, and will be offered choices on four state constitutional amendments.
Amendment 1 inserts constitutional language empowering the legislature to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion.
Amendment 2 empowers the Governor to appoint judges subject to confirmation by the General Assembly
Amendment 3 prohibits the legislature from levying or permitting any tax upon payroll or earned personal income
Amendment 4 empowers the legislature to permit lotteries for events that benefit 501 (c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organizations.
According to DeKalb County Election Commissioner Dennis Stanley, certain requirements must be met to adopt the proposed constitutional amendments.
Stanley said that two things must happen in order for the amendment to pass and become part of the constitution:
1) The amendment must get more "yes" votes than "no" votes; and
2) The number of "yes" votes must be a majority of the votes cast in the
gubernatorial election.
"To determine the votes needed, all votes for all candidates for governor are added together. This number is divided by two or halved. The number of "yes" votes must exceed that number. If the number of "yes" votes exceeds the number, the Constitutional amendment passes and becomes part of the constitution," he shared.
Gubernatorial candidates on the ballot are as follows: incumbent Republican Bill Haslam, Democratic challenger Charles V. "Charlie" Brown, Constitution Party candidate Shaun Crowell, Green Party nominee Isa Infante, and independent candidates Steven Damon Coburn, John Jay Hooker and Daniel T. Lewis.
United States Senate:
Lamar Alexander-Republican
Gordon Ball-Democratic
Joe Wilmoth-Constitution
Martin Pleasant-Green
Tom Emerson, Jr.-Independent
Edmund L. Gauthier-Independent
Joshua James-Independent
Danny Page-Independent
Bartholomew J. Phillips-Independent
C. Salekin-Independent
Eric Schechter-Independent
Rick Tyler-Independent
U.S. House of Representatives (District 6)
Diane Black-Republican
Amos Scott Powers-Democratic
Mike Winton-Independent
Tennessee Senate (District 17)
Mae Beavers- Republican
Tennessee House of Representatives (District 40):
Terri Lynn Weaver- Republican
Sarah Marie Smith-Democratic
Tennessee House of Representatives (District 46):
Mark A. Pody-Republican
Candace Reed-Democratic
The actual wording on the ballot concerning the proposed constitutional amendments is as follows:
Constitutional Amendment 1:
Shall Article I, of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated section:
Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.
Yes
No
Constitutional Amendment 2:
Shall Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by deleting the first and second sentences and by substituting instead the following:
Judges of the Supreme Court or any intermediate appellate court shall be appointed for a full term or to fill a vacancy by and at the discretion of the governor; shall be confirmed by the Legislature; and thereafter, shall be elected in a retention election by the qualified voters of the state. Confirmation by default occurs if the Legislature fails to reject an appointee within sixty calendar days of either the date of appointment, if made during the annual legislative session, or the convening date of the next annual legislative session, if made out of session. The Legislature is authorized to prescribe such provisions as may be necessary to carry out Sections two and three of this article.
Yes
No
Constitutional Amendment 3:
Shall Article II, Section 28 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following sentence at the end of the final substantive paragraph within the section:
Notwithstanding the authority to tax privileges or any other authority set forth in this Constitution, the Legislature shall not levy, authorize or otherwise permit any state or local tax upon payroll or earned personal income or any state or local tax measured by payroll or earned personal income; however, nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any tax in effect on January 1, 2011, or adjustment of the rate of such tax.
Yes
No
Constitutional Amendment 4:
Shall Article XI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by deleting the following language:
All other forms of lottery not authorized herein are expressly prohibited unless authorized by a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house of the general assembly for an annual event operated for the benefit of a 501(c)(3) organization located in this state, as defined by the 2000 United States Tax Code or as may be amended from time to time.
and by substituting instead the following language:
All other forms of lottery not authorized herein are expressly prohibited unless authorized by a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house of the general assembly for an annual event operated for the benefit of a 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(19) organization, as defined by the 2000 United States Tax Code, located in this state.
Yes
No
The polls will open for early voting on the first floor of the courthouse on Oct. 15, and will continue through Oct. 30. Early voting will be held at the following times on the following days:
Mondays 1-6 p.m.
Tuesdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wednesdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Thursdays 2-6 p.m.
Fridays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Saturdays 9 a.m.-Noon.
