I am ok and my house is ok. My neighborhood is demolished. Trees uprooted, utility polls sheered in half, power lines down, roofs smashed in, cars smashed. Whole rows of houses are totaled.
There are dozens of people walking around the neighborhood in a daze though they are all pitching in and helping each other out.
I was anxious to get out and check on 2 houses I'm taking care of while the owners are away. They finally cleared a path out of my neighborhood a bit after 11am. One car at a time can drive through and we drive over downed power lines but they say we won't have power back for a week.
I'm at one of those houses now, using my computer and their phone. Mostly I'm worried about where I will vote today and if TN will extend voting. So many of my neighbors are in shock over the damage to their homes and/or loss of their homes. They're not thinking about voting.
Thanks for all your concern. I AM concerned about voting. Emergency voting spots have been set up, and that’s nice for people who can find them and make their way to them. There are a whole bunch of people who are just dazed and confused though.
They are wondering where they and their pets will sleep tonight. When they can get repairs to their house done and where they will get the money for those repairs. How long will the tarp hold on their roof and how long until we get electricity back?
They are not wondering where they can vote today. Several people had forgotten that today was the day to vote. The first tornado hit a little after 12:30 am and some folks have been up since then.
I know I am often accused of being too logical but it seems to me TN should have some kind of plan in place and the logical thing would be to add another day of voting in, say, a month from now and advertise that date well. There have been 22 confirmed deaths, it seems respectful to wait.
I called the Secretary of State at the Division of Elections with a message to that effect and I invite you to as well. 1.877.850.4959
From their website, here are the insane changes they expect grief stricken folks to search out:
March 3 Election, Storm Related Changes
Any voter whose polling location has been impacted may vote at either Election Commission Office: 1417 Murfreesboro Pike or 800 Second Avenue South, 4th Floor.
Polling Place Changes
Voting at Cleveland Community Center 5-2
- Ross Elementary 5-5
- East Regional Community Center 6-1
- Shelby Community Center 6-2
- Cora Howe School 6-5
- Martha O’Bryan Center 6-3
Voting at Donelson Presbyterian Church 15-3
- DuPont Tyler Middle School 11-4 and 12-3
- Hermitage Presbyterian 12-1
- Ruby Major Elementary 12-2 and 12-5
- Hermitage Hills Baptist Church 14-1
- Hermitage Community Center 14-3
- Hermitage Elementary School 14-2
- TN School for the Blind 14-5
- Two Rivers Middle School 15-1
- Donelson Heights United Methodist 15-2
Voting at Pearl Cohn High School 21-3:
- Fifteenth Ave Baptist Church 19-2
- Watkins Community Center 19-3
- Union Hall 20-2
- Union Hall 20-1
- Robert Churchwell Elementary 21-2
Additionally:
Haynes Middle School 2-3 is voting at Whites Creek Fire Station 2-1
Looby Community Center 2-4 is voting at Northwest YMCA 2-5
Lead Brick Church Middle School 3-5 is voting at Bellshire Elementary 3-4
www.nashville.gov/...
The areas hit hardest by the storms are the areas the Republicans would be happy to see not vote at all. Let’s help make sure that doesn't happen.
Division of Elections — 1.877.850.4959
email: vote.questions@nashville.gov