SUMMARY: On Election Day in East Tennessee, Knox County election administrator Chris Davis reported strong voter turnout. While exact numbers aren’t available, many precincts expect over a thousand voters each, with a total projection of 50,000 to 58,000 voters on Election Day, potentially breaking past turnout records. Early voting surpassed 51%, and over 9,000 absentee ballots were submitted. Davis encouraged voters to check their registration status online and to know their polling locations to avoid last-minute issues. He expressed surprise at the high number of address changes and the enthusiasm for voting, despite some being unaware of registration deadlines.

Knox County Election Administrator Chris Davis said voter turnout is likely to be very high for this election

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SUMMARY: Hurricane Helene caused significant flooding in the Tennessee Valley, but flood mitigation strategies reportedly prevented an estimated $406 million in damages, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The Tennessee River Watershed, which received two months’ worth of rainfall in just three days, saw record flood levels. Dams in Lenoir City and Chattanooga managed to prevent water from rising 21 to 23 feet higher. Communities credited TVA for saving lives through timely forecasting and support. The storm resulted in 230 fatalities across seven states and substantial economic losses, prompting a $100 million relief package for agriculture in Georgia.

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SUMMARY: On Election Day, warm and windy weather is expected, which typically favors voter turnout. Vanderbilt Professor Dr. John Geer notes that comfortable weather benefits voter participation, but historically, bad weather has favored Republicans by discouraging lower-income voters who usually lean Democratic. However, Geer suggests this trend may be changing due to shifts in working-class support toward the Republican Party. This year, the impact of weather on the election is likely minimal, as more than half of the electorate has already voted, reducing the significance of weather on voter turnout.

How do different types of weather impact the election?

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