The Hamilton County Election Commission is calling this month’s election one of its smoothest August elections in decades, citing strong turnout, election safeguards and the efforts of poll workers.
Administrator of Elections Scott Allen, who has worked in elections for nearly 30 years, says the county reported no major Election Day issues.
“I’m thankful for our office staff, which endured long days and short nights for weeks leading up to the election,” Allen says. “I’m especially grateful for our poll workers, who completed multiple training sessions and worked more than 14 hours on Election Day serving the community for nominal compensation.”
Poll workers included some recovering from recent surgery, while a team at a Signal Mountain polling location worked through 80-degree heat after a last-minute HVAC outage.
Hamilton County also is among a limited number of Tennessee counties that use an independent CPA firm to inspect its election processes. The firm seals voting machines during public preelection testing, verifies the seals on election night before results are uploaded and returns the next day to reconcile paperwork with precinct reports.
Allen said the commission will continue looking for ways to streamline end-of-day procedures and reduce wait times for poll workers after their 14-hour shifts.
The commission is now preparing for higher turnout in the Nov. 3 general election and recruiting poll workers. Absentee ballot requests are open, and early voting begins Oct. 14.
Chattanooga upgrades school zone beacons
The city of Chattanooga has upgraded flashing school zone beacons at 34 public schools to allow them to operate automatically and be managed remotely.
The project, completed in partnership with Hamilton County Schools, replaced manually operated or locally programmed systems with intelligent, programmable time clocks. The beacons alert motorists when the 15 mph school zone speed limit is in effect.
The new system allows the beacons to follow preprogrammed schedules based on school bell times, holidays and in-service days. City staff can also adjust them remotely from Chattanooga’s Traffic Management Center in the event of an emergency closure, late start or early dismissal.
Hamilton County Schools welcomed more than 45,000 students back to classrooms in August.
UTC receives historic preservation grant
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been awarded $75,500 for an underwater survey and archaeological work in the Tennessee River in Hamilton County.
The funding is part of more than $1.1 million in Federal Historic Preservation Fund grants awarded by the Tennessee Historical Commission to 28 nonprofits, local governments, universities and civic organizations across the state.
The federal program reimburses 60% of project costs, with grant recipients providing the remaining 40%.
The grants support projects aimed at documenting, studying and preserving historic and archaeological resources. The next grant cycle is scheduled to open in January 2027.
Red Bank funds free library cards
The city of Red Bank is again funding free Chattanooga Public Library cards for eligible residents, continuing the program for a third year.
The Red Bank City Commission approved funding for 200 full-access library cards for the 2026-27 program year. The cards, available on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to one per household, can be obtained or renewed at any of the Chattanooga Public Library’s five locations.
During the program’s first two years, 375 Red Bank residents received or renewed library cards at no cost.
“Modern libraries are more than just books, and the Chattanooga Library is a prime example, offering digital materials, a staffed makerspace, recording studio, library of things, children’s programming and more,” Red Bank Vice Mayor Hollie Berry says. “We’re proud to continue offering no-cost access to all these resources for Red Bank residents.”
Red Bank children enrolled in Hamilton County Schools also qualify for free library cards through the school system, while all Hamilton County children ages 5 and younger are eligible for free cards.
For more information, call the Chattanooga Public Library at 423 643-7700.
Gaining Ground begins expansion
Gaining Ground has begun demolition at 901 Dodds Ave. in Chattanooga’s Ridgedale neighborhood, marking the start of construction on a new home for the nonprofit grocery store and food access organization.
The organization has operated from a 500-square-foot church basement since opening in 2020. The new location will double its footprint, allowing Gaining Ground to stock more fresh, locally sourced food and expand its operating hours.
The new building also will include community meeting and education space, with plans for a teaching kitchen to support hands-on nutrition education.
Gaining Ground sources produce, dairy products and meats from more than 30 local farmers and producers. It also participates in Double Up Food Bucks, which matches SNAP benefits dollar-for-dollar for fresh produce, and provides nutrition education that reaches more than 1,200 people annually.
The expansion is being supported by local foundations and individual donors.