Rain fell in Smith County early Tuesday, but voters lined up at polling places before doors opened at 7 a.m. A line formed outside The Hub in downtown Tyler before polls opened. Elections administrator Michelle Allcon told the Tyler Morning Telegraph that she did not think the rain made much difference in early turnout.
According to the Smith County Elections Office, nearly 2,000 votes were cast in the first 90 minutes of voting. Allcon said 7,428 ballots had been cast on Election Day by 11:40 a.m. By 1:15 p.m., 9,740 ballots had been cast. Polls close at 7 p.m. Including the 68,241 ballots cast during the two weeks of early voting, the county's total as of 1:15 p.m. was 77,981.
The Hub, on Ferguson Street, is the city's main polling location. The county advised voters to consider any of its other 34 polling places to avoid construction in the city's center. Downtown Tyler is offering shuttles on Election Day, with runs scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., and 4 to 5 p.m. According to the county, more than 167,000 registered voters were eligible to vote.