NEWPORT-Early voting for the Aug. 7 state primary and county general election will begin Friday at the Courthouse Annex.

According to the Cocke County Election Commission Office, the hours for early voting will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through Aug. 2. Extended hours of 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. will be available on Aug. 1.

The state primary offices on the ballot will include First District for the U.S. Senate, First District congressman and 11th District state representative.

The County General Election will include the nominee for property assessor, candidates for the unexpired term for Fifth District constable's seat and school board members in the Third, Fifth and Seventh Districts.

Margaret Sorrell has qualified and is unopposed for property assessor. Constable candidates who qualified include Dewey Evans and Mike Shropshire.

Rose Lovell and Ronnie Moore have qualified as write-in candidates for the Third District school board seat on the Aug 7 election ballot. Incumbent Jerry Ramsey had initially sought re-election but resigned from the board due to personal issues earlier this year.

Joan Taylor and Randy Shults are vying for the Fifth District seat and Pat Proffitt is unopposed in the Seventh District.

Both GOP candidate Dan Ford and Democrat incumbent Eddie Yokely qualified in the state primary race for 11th District state House of Representatives.

In the U.S. Senate primary, GOP incumbent Lamar Alexander is unopposed. Those running on the Democrat side include Mark E. Clayton, Gary G. Davis, Kenneth Eaton, Charles Jackson, Leonard D. Ladner, William Mike Padgett and Robert D. Duke.

Incumbent Davis Davis, Phil Roe and Mahmood (Michael) Sabri are seeking the Republican nomination for the First District U.S. House seat while Michael Donihe and Rob Russell are Democrat candidates seeking the post.

The voter registration deadline for the Aug. 7 election will be July 8.

Early voting will run through Aug. 2 at the Cocke County Election Commission Office.

According to Cocke County Administrator of Elections Joyce Slagle, an inspection of voting machines will be 4 p.m. today at the Courthouse Annex.