UPDATE:
9:15 pm
Candidate Party Votes Percentage
★ Against 56,016 65%
For 30,343 35%
Total 86,359
8:45 pm
NASHVILLE, Tennessee–“Tonight is a great victory for all of Nashville. A $9 billion transit boondoogle that benefited developers, construction companies, and engineering firms, and left the little guy out to dry has been defeated,” Nashville mayoral candidate Carol Swain said at the Victory Celebration for opponents of the transit plan hosted by her campaign.
“As mayor, I will work to implement immediate and long term solutions to regional traffic congestion,” she added.
“There is a short sprint to May 24, and I’m asking for your support in my bid for Mayor of Nashville. I pledge to create a government that works for you and not against you,” the former Vanderbilt professor concluded.
8:39 pm
Candidate Party Votes Percentage
★ Against 46,931 65%
For 25,600 35%
Total 72,531
8:20 pm
The Pro-Transit Group conceded at 8:20 pm after the first dozen precincts reported today.
As of 8:25 pm, the vote total was:
Candidate Party Votes Percentage
Against 41,999 65%
For 22,451 35%
Total 64,450
Rep. Diane Black’s (R-TN-06) gubernatorial campaign released the following statement after the pro-transit group conceded:
“Tonight, the voters of Nashville made the right choice,” said Diane Black. “We need to solve the traffic problem in Middle Tennessee, but billion dollar liberal boondoggles are not the solution. This transit plan would have made Nashville the highest-taxed city in the country and risked the economic growth of our entire state. Now it’s time to get to work on a real, strategic regional plan to reduce congestion in downtown Nashville without raising taxes on working families. I look forward to releasing my vision in the coming days.”
7:15 pm
NASHVILLE, Tennessee–The results of the estimated 59,000 early votes cast in the Nashville/Davidson County transit plan referendum were released at 7:10 pm, just ten minutes after the polls closed.
According to the Davidson County Election Commission, there were 39,013 votes against the transit plan and only 20,991 votes for it, a 65 percent to 35 percent margin against.
An estimated 50,000 votes were cast today. Those additional votes are expected to be tallied and reported over the next few hours.
Nashville mayoral candidate Carol Swain reacted to the early voting results in remarks delivered at the Victory Celebration for opponents of the transit plan hosted by her campaign at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville.
“The early voting results provide a promising look into what the outcome of months of campaigning by pro and anti-transit tax supporters. It is refreshing to see our citizens make their voices heard. I have been a vocal opponent of this plan because it does not do anything to address the regional traffic congestion that is plaguing our city. Additionally, it will only benefit big businesses that will develop along the rail corridors, but the citizens will pay the $9 billion price tag,” the former Vanderbilt told the enthusiastic crowd.
Swain has been one of the leading opponents of the $9 billion Nashville transit plan.
In contrast, Acting Mayor David Briley has been a strong supporter of the plan.
