KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- You probably didn't have to wait long, if you voted in the City of Knoxville Regular Election Tuesday.

Less than 10 percent of Knoxville city voters headed to polls to fill five city council seats.

"I am certainly a bit disappointed with the turnout. I wish it'd been better than it has," Pond Gap Elementary Election Officer Don Holden said.

But passionate politics, a civic duty, and other reasons brought voters to polls.

"If we don't vote, then we don't have a voice," voter Kim Smith said.

"People have died for the right to vote," voter Daryl Green said.

But even voters who showed up say there were plenty of reasons not to vote in this election.

"Just the day-to-day obligations. There's really no overwhelming issues. The media didn't really focus on it," Green said.

Election results show 7,986 voters showed up at the polls to vote, accounting for just about eight percent of total registered voters in Knoxville.

Term limits had kicked incumbents from the ballot, and five city council seats were up for grabs.

"It's sad because a majority of city council will be elected tonight for the next four years. 90 percent of voters didn't vote, but will be impacted by their decisions," former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe said.

Ashe just returned from serving as the U-S Ambassador to Poland.

He says he supported some candidates, as a private citizen, even sending out some emails asking for votes.

But Ashe says he didn't really get involved in any one race.

"I don't know that I really did---I had a yard sign up in my yard, did things other people do. I don't know why I'm different than anyone else, " Ashe said.

Fewer voters also took advantage of early voting.

The Knox County Election Commission says 2,375 city residents voted early. That's about 450 less than in the 2005 city regular election.