Tuesday is the final day to register to vote in the state and federal elections, as well as the city elections in all of Anderson County's cities, including Oak Ridge.

Anderson County Election Commission Administrator Mark Stephens said there are three easy ways to register to vote. Online, you can go to ovr.govote.tn.gov or acelect.com, or go to the Election Commission office in the Anderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Clinton. You'll need a photo ID.

The Election Day is Nov. 8, and early voting is Oct. 19 through Nov. 3. Anderson County residents can vote early in Oak Ridge at the Midtown Community Center (Wildcat Den) at 102 Robertsville Road. Other Anderson County early voting locations are the Clinton Community Center, 101 S. Hicks St., and Anderson Crossing Shopping Center, 3310 Andersonville Highway, Andersonville. Times for early voting are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Oak Ridge voters will be electing four members to City Council, including two "new" members because Rick Chinn and Kelly Callison have chosen not to seek reelection. Seeking reelection are Council members Warren Gooch, who now serves as mayor also, and Ellen Smith, as well as L.C. "Charlie" Hensley, who previously served on Council. Political newcomers Carmen DeLong and Sean Gleason are also running. Voters can cast four votes for Council.

After they're elected, the Council members vote on which members will serve as mayor and mayor pro tem.

Oak Ridge voters can cast three votes for the city Board of Education. Seeking reelection are Laura McLean, Benjamin J. Stephens and Erin S. Webb. Also seeking a seat is political newcomer Heather G. Hartmann.

City voters will also asked to vote "for" or "against two charter amendments.

The first charter amendment asks whether the voter is for or against allowing the city to publish a summary of Oak Ridge City Council meetings on the city's website and removing the requirement that such information be published in the official city newspaper, which is The Oak Ridger.

The second amendment proposes that the definition of the official city newspaper in the Oak Ridge City Charter be expanded to allow the use of digital media for publication of official notices. The city news release explaining the proposed change and the way the current charter reads is below.

Article III, Section 12, Official city newspaper: 

Elections are also being held in the cities of Oliver Springs, Clinton, Rocky Top (Lake City) and Norris.

In Oliver Springs, voters can choose between incumbent Omer Cox or Jason Stiltner for mayor. Robert L. Miller Sr. and Jeffery L. Bass are running unopposed for aldermen in Wards 1 and 2, respectively. No one is running for alderman in Ward 4, but voters can write-in a candidate as they can in each race.

In Clinton, incumbent Scott Burton is running against Zach Farrar for mayor. David W. Queener and Vicki Violette are seeking the Ward I seat on City Council; Brian D. Hatmaker is the lone candidate for the Ward 2 seat; and, Wendy Maness, Harper M. Maxwell and Mitchell "Shoney" Wolfe are seeking the one Ward 3 seat. All of the candidates for Council are political newcomers.

On the Clinton City Schools' Board of Education, Timothy A. Bible and Curtis W. Isabell are running for the two Ward 2 seats and Lorie Ann Wilson is seeking the one Ward 3 seat.

In Norris, Bill Grieve, William Grinder and Chris Mitchell are seeking reelection for the five seats on Council. New candidates are Charles P. Nicholson and Loretta A. Painter.

In Rocky Top, also known as Lake City, incumbent Timothy Sharp is seeking reelection for mayor. He's challenged by new candidate Kerry Templin. City Council incumbents Denise Casteel and Tony Devaney are seeking reelection. New candidates for the two seats up for election are Mack Bunch, Richard Dawson and Jeff Gilliam.

All Anderson County voters will be asked to vote "for" or "against" in a charter referendum asking the question, "Shall Anderson County government be changed to a charter form of government?"

In the state election, state Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, who has been serving as lieutenant governor, is running unopposed in District 5. However, state Rep. John Ragan, also a Republican from Oak Ridge, is challenged by Oak Ridge resident Jim Dodson, who serves on City Council and teaches art in the Oak Ridge Schools. Dodson is the Democratic candidate.

In District 4 for the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes a small portion of Anderson County voters, Republican Ed Butler of Rickman is running against state Rep. John Mark Windle of Livingston, an Independent who —according to The Tennessean in Nashville — has represented the Livingston area as a Democrat for almost 30 years.

Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, is seeking his second four-year term in office. He's opposed by the Democratic Party nominee Jason Brantley Martin, and Independent candidates John Gentry, Basil Marceaux, Charles Van Morgan, Alfred O'Neill, Deborah Rouse, Michael E. Scantland and Rick Tyler.

Voters across the state can vote on several proposed constitutional amendments, which in summary, are on a "right-to-work" law, the line of succession if something happens to impact the governor's ability to serve, a slavery ban and Repealing a ban on clergy lawmakers.

Donna Smith, The Oak Ridger's news editor, can be contacted by email at dsmith@oakridger.com. Follow her on Twitter@ridgernewsed.