With a tight presidential race, early voting was busy in Monroe County as expected, Monroe County Election Commission officials said.

Early voting began Oct. 17 and after it ended Thursday, nearly 8,700 county voters had cast their ballots early for the Nov. 6 election, Deputy Administrator of Elections April White said.

"The state actually forewarned us that they anticipated the biggest vote yet in Tennessee with this election," White said.

According to White, a little more than 15,000 county voters cast ballots in the 2008 election with about 8,000 of them voting early.

Election Day is Tuesday with polls open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Forecasters are calling for a partly sunny day on Tuesday with a slight chance of rain and a high in the upper 50s.

In addition to the race for president, many other races are on the ballot.

U.S. Senate incumbent Bob Corker faces Democrat Mark Clayton and a host of other candidates.

Incumbent Republican Chuck Fleischmann, Democrat Mary M. Headrick, and Independent Matthew Deniston will compete for the 3rd Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Republican incumbent Jimmy Matlock and Democrat Andrew F. Bennett III are up for the 21st District State House Representative seat, while incumbent Republican John Forgety and Democrat Peggy Hall Wall are running against each other for the 23rd District State House of Representatives seat.

In the Madisonville City election, voters can decide on the liquor referendum either permitting or prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in the city and on a sales tax referendum, which would increase local sales tax from 2.25 percent to 2.75 percent.

Bobby D. Bruner, Augusta T. Davis, Glenn Moser and Bill Spradlin are running against each other to fill three city aldermen seats, with all but Davis being an incumbent , while incumbent Ted Cagle and Bryan S. Hall are up for the city recorder position.

For more information, contact the Election Commission at 423-442-2461. The Election Commission also has a new website, www.monroecountyelectioncommission.com. The Advocate & Democrat will post election results on our website advocateanddemocrat.com.

Staff writer Jessica Cross contributed to this report.