You can understand if the candidates facing off in Tuesday’s Cherokee County Council District 7 runoff elections don’t want to hear any “knock, knock” jokes for a while. You see, the candidates have spent the past 14 days doing nothing but knocking on voters’ doors.

“I’ve just been knocking on doors and talking to people to see what their concerns are,“ Democrat Clay Greer said.

Which are plenty, according to Greer, the top vote-getter in the Nov. 10 Democrat Party primary with 146 votes.

“People are concerned about taxes, jobs and favoritism,” he said.

Greer, who is employed in the Blacksburg Public Works Department and also serves as Blacksburg’s fire chief, will be challenged by small-business owner Thomas Moss, who received 137 votes.

“I’ve just been knocking on doors,” Moss said.

Greer just missed receiving a majority of the vote in the primary. Turns out, William Wilson, who got a scant 15 votes, was the spoiler in the race.

On the Republican side, Tracy McDaniel, who works in his family’s construction business, will square off against Donnie Smith, who is serving his third term on the school board.

McDaniel, who got 394 votes in the primary, echoed the same game plan of the Democrat candidates.

“I’ve been talking to the people and knocking on doors,” McDaniel said.

The candidates, Republican and Democrat, agreed on another item — it is important for their supporters to turn out at the polls.

“Turnout will be important,” McDaniel said.

Smith, who picked up 313 votes in the primary, didn’t return a voice mail left on his cell phone seeking comment for this story.

The runoff winners will meet in the general election on Tuesday, Dec. 29.

The polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Seven precincts will be open for the special election. They are:

Blacksburg I - Blacksburg Community Center

Blacksburg II - Blacksburg Fire Department

Blacksburg III - Broad River Baptist Church

Blacksburg IV - Blacksburg Elementary

Holly Grove/Buffalo - Mt. Paran Baptist Church

Antioch-Kings/Creek - Antioch Community Building

99 Island/CKC - CKC Fire Department

NOTE: Only a portion of the Holly Grove/Buffalo precinct is in District 7.