Ahead Of Memphis Mayoral Elections, Public Inspection Of Voting Machines Is Being Performed, But Does That Really Boost Voter Integrity?

Image Credit: Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller / CC

By Kelly M. Jackson [The Tennessee Conservative] –

The Shelby County Election Commission is seemingly doing its best to try and confront the lagging confidence in our elections system by hosting a public inspection of the voting machines that will be made available to voters in just 10 short days when Early Voting begins in Memphis. 

Yesterday, people were able to see voting machines publicly inspected from 9-11 AM. Once that inspection was completed, the machines were reportedly locked away until early voting actually begins on September 15^th.

People are also being encouraged to make their plans to visit the polling places and cast their votes, as well as bring anyone with them that might not have a way to get to the polling place to participate. 

The election for Memphis Mayor has a crowded field of candidates, 14 in all. 

However, while it seems that this public display is intended to bolster voter confidence that this election is being performed in as transparent a way as possible, news reports about the event fail to reveal the kind of machines that are used in Shelby County Elections, so that voters might have an opportunity to ask specific and pertinent questions such as whether or not there will be ballot marking devices used, or will there be a paper ballot and an optical scanner? Who manufactures the machines, and are they wi-fi capable? 

Voters across the board have been stridently expressing their views to their county officials, only to be rebuffed and sent packing. 

In order for voters to have true confidence in their elections, it will take more than a couple of hours where people that voters can’t engage with, show an inspection of a machine voters know nothing about. The Tennessee state website does have this link to the types of equipment that is used for all Tennessee Elections, but doesn’t specify which equipment is used in which counties. 

The sentiment for voter reform has made its way up to the top of the political food chain, as a resolution was presented by Tyler Bowyer of Turning Point Action, an organization that is being called the “political arm” of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA (an activism organization geared for students of high school and college ages) to the RNC at their national meeting in Milwaukee this past week. 

The resolution, or “A Return To Excellence” in American voting, calls for all of the same ingredients that voter integrity groups have been lobbying for from their state and local elections officials. Paper ballots, that will create an audit trail, with precinct voting polls, and a more limited time to vote. No unmanned ballot drop boxes, mail-in ballots or ballot harvesting.

A combination of these elements and these elements alone, according to the elements incorporated into the resolution, would likely go a lot further in increasing genuine voter confidence, versus what amounts to a public display of artificial transparency.

About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member.  Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.