KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI) — The Knox County Election Commission has released a detailed statistical profile of voter turnout from the May 5, 2026 primary election.
According to the report, Knox County had 263,463 active registered voters at the time of the election. Of those, 56,006 people cast ballots, representing a turnout of 21.25%.
Early voting accounted for the largest share of participation, with 32,418 ballots cast. Election Day brought in 21,678 voters, while absentee by-mail and nursing home voting totaled 1,910 ballots.
The data also shows 1,618 people voted for the first time in Knox County, with a majority participating in the Republican primary.
Election officials noted the oldest voters to cast ballots were both 102 years old.
A breakdown by age shows turnout skewed older, with the largest voting group coming from those 55 and older. That group accounted for more than 37,000 combined Republican and Democratic ballots.
Geographically, more ballots came from outside the Knoxville city limits, reflecting the county’s larger suburban and rural population.
When looking at gender, more women than men cast ballots in both parties, though some voter records did not include gender information.
District-level data shows turnout rates varied, with District 4 and District 8 reporting some of the highest participation percentages.
The busiest precincts included Gibbs Elementary, Rocky Hill Elementary, and Brickey-McCloud Elementary, each seeing well over a thousand voters.
Election officials say the data helps provide insight into voter participation trends and will be used for future planning and outreach efforts.
