NEWPORT-Early voting begins Friday for the Aug. 5 general election and state primary in Cocke County.

Early voting hours 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Election Commission in the Courthouse Annex. Early voting July 30 will be from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. The last day to early vote will be Saturday, July 31.

Candidates who qualified for the Aug. 5 election include:

County Commissioner: Melinda Love Henderson and Glen E. Shelton for Post 1 in District 1; Calvin D. Ball for Post II in District 1; Lonnie Ottinger and David L. Ottinger for Post 1 in District 2; Henry Clay Blazer for Post 2 in District 2; Norman D. Smith for Post 1 in District 3; Andrew Fowler, Jr. and Ronald Ellison for Post 2 in District 3; Phil Killion and Douglas Black for Post 1 in District 4; Scott McClure for Post 2 in District 4; Tom Sutton for Post 1 in District 5; Bill Williamson and Dan Shreder for Post II in District 5; Michael McCarter for Post 1 in District 6; Dan Metcalf for Post 2 in District 6; Paul Stuart and Clayton D. Ellison for Post 1 in District 7; and Jimmy Lindsey for Post 2 in District 7.

Road Commission: John B. Scott, Sherman Ball and Danny Shelton in District 1; Ronald Blazer in District 2; Randy S. Dyke and Dale Hartsell in District 3; Kenneth D. Hall and Zeb R. Morgan in District 4; Chuck Smithpeters and Robert L. Green in District 5; Willard Taylor in District 6; and Jack Smith and Howard Strange in District 7.

School Board: Richard Coggins in District 1; Darrin Costner and Otha Rolen in District 2; Kalsea Mantooth and Gary M. Denton in District 4; and Ken Johnson in District 6.

Constable: McRee Whitten in District 1; Jody L. Ball, Jerry R. Hux, Doyle Parks Jr., Clifford D. Sane, Dennis Worley and Derek Eugene Wright in District 2; Jeff Belcher and Nathan L. White in District 3; Kenny A. Shults in District 4; Dewey E. Evans, Daniel A. Frazier and Mike Shropshire in District 5; Danny L. Hartsell in District 6; and Roger S. Henderson and Randall Frazier in District 7.

Three candidates have filed a certificate of write-in for the Aug. 5 General Election in Cocke County. Ronald Farley has filed as a write-in for the 6th District Cocke County Legislative Body Post 1 seat. Meanwhile, Josh Hall has filed as a write-in for the 6th District Cocke County Legislative Body Post 2 position. Also in the 6th District, James "Jimmy" W. Roach Jr. has filed for the constable's race.

State primary races on Aug. 5 include:

Republican State Executive Committeeman: Fred L. Myers Jr., Christopher "C.J." Black and Nathan Yates.

Democrat State Executive Committeeman: Mike K. Hampton and Timothy W. Woodard.

Republican State Executive Committeewoman: Nancy W. Wilson.

Democrat State Executive Committeewoman: Marjorie Ramsey.

Democrat State Senate: Jackson B. "Jack" West

Republican State Senate: Steve Southerland.

District 11 Republican House of Representatives: Jeremy Faison and David A. Zellers.

District 11 Democrat House of Representatives: Eddie Yokley.

Please contact the Cocke County Election Commission office at 623-2042 for more information.