Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov & canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Tennessee’s Coordinator of Elections, Mark Goins, recently sent out 14,000 letters in a bid to secure the state’s elections but leaders of the Democratic Party in the Tennessee General Assembly are enraged and demanding answers from the Secretary of State.
The letter begins, “Our office has received information that appears to indicate that your voter information matches with an individual who may not have been a United States citizen at the time of obtaining a Tennessee driver license or ID card.”
According to the Secretary of State’s office, this information was found after voter rolls were compared with data from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The Secretary of State acknowledged that someone may have been naturalized since that time but chose not to update their records. Drivers licenses are updated every 8 years.
The letter goes on to refer to Tennessee code that states that it is illegal for non U.S. citizens to vote in local, state, or federal elections. Voting illegally is a felony in the state, with a penalty of at least 2 years in jail and up to $5,000 in fines.
The letter allows those that have gone through the naturalization process to update their information, if they so choose, by providing a photocopy of a birth certificate, passport, or other document that shows proof of citizenship. No where in the letter is this stated as mandatory. A postage paid envelope was provided with the letter.
After learning about the letters that were sent out in early June, House Minority Leader Karen Camper (D-Memphis-District 87) wrote to Secretary of State Tre Hargett demanding an explanation of why the letters were sent and what his office planned to do with the information.
Representatives John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville-District 55) and Jason Powell (D-Nashville-District 53) joined in the Democrat outrage by requesting that State Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti investigate whether voter intimidation tactics were at play in Goins’ sending of the letter.
To be eligible to vote in Tennessee, one must be a United States citizen and resident of the state, be 18-years-old by the day of the next election, and have registered 30 days before. An application can be made online, by mail via the county election commission, or in person at a variety of locations that include the county clerk’s office, the county election commission office, public libraries, and other state agencies.
Voters in Tennessee must present photo identification when they show up to vote. Accepted IDs include a Tennessee driver’s license with photo, a United States passport, photo IDs issued by the federal or Tennessee state government, a photo ID issued the the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security, a United States Military photo ID, or a Tennessee handgun carry permit with a photo.
In 2022, Governor Bill Lee signed legislation aimed at preventing illegal aliens from voting in the Volunteer state. The law prohibits non-citizens from voting in a federal, state, or local election and also prevents a county, municipality, or other political subdivision in the state from granting voting rights to non-citizens.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
24 Responses
This so-called effort to secure elections is simply a racially motivated to prevent only Democrats from voting. The Republicans would never stop a Proud Boys or Moms For Liberty thug from voting. This is really voter intimidation and suppression; not a real effort to stop fraud. There is a special place in Hell for those responsible for this suppression of the basic right to vote!
ONLY US CITIZENS CAN VOTE. ANYWHERE. Are you familiar with our founding documents? It has nothing to do with race, and you should be embarrassed to bring it up. The race card just can’t be played in this hand, and smart people know it.
Mr. Delzell, please provide proof of how securing our Tennessee election integrity from non-eligible voters is “racially motivated”, “intimidating” and “voter suppression”. Why wouldn’t all American citizens not want to make sure our votes are not diluted by illegal voting? Sounds like you want Democrats to win by using any means possible and cheating doesn’t bother you in the least.
y’all nuts– this has nothing to do with what party people vote for— and everything to do with ONLY citizens voting… we do not need foreign interference in our elections..
Ohh, look at the democrat with their talking points all copied and pasted like a good little lemming.
You sir are an idiot. Full stop
Is this suppression in the room with you?
Stop already. You are a liberaturd troll. In every post you use the same talking points [Proud boys, Moms for Liberty and your favorite Palestine]. And of course use the demonrats race card. Doesn’t work anymore.” We the People” see right through the libertards nonsense. You really need to find a new hobby.
In God we trust not government or man.
Have a blessed.
You sir do not know how the current election process works. Illegal aliens register to vote at government agencies (DMV Etc.) all the time. Illegals get driver licenses (DL) in TN. Do you think election poll workers know the difference between a REAL ‘verified citizen’ DL, and an illegal non citizen DL? I doubt it! Election poll workers are looking for an ID, residency, and registration. Illegals only have to mark the voter registration form that they are a citizen, self declaration. Currently, they don’t have to PROVE they are a citizen when the voter registration form is filled out and sent in. It’s important to all citizens, no matter the political party or race, that we have fair elections. Let’s continue to clean up our voter registration rolls. Legal naturalized citizens have a right to vote, not illegal aliens.
The ‘race card’ is pathetic. Grow up and stop living in the past. Protect our country for our children. I’m proud to be a supporter of Moms for Liberty. I don’t want porn taught to 5th graders in Tennessee, or children groomed to think they are another gender, resulting in mutilation of their bodies. We are in a war for our children, wake up!
You sir are a racist. Go drag down someone else, somewhere else.
What are you smoking? Anyone that votes (black, brown, white, green, purple) that is not a US Citizen is breaking the law if they vote. It has nothing to do with racism. You use racism as a banner to allow cheating to take place. You sir are the typical Democrat who knows the only way Democrats win is by cheating.
In Tennessee you have to be a legal citizen no illegal can vote You dont know if the illegal is a democrat or republican get over it its the law
William Deizell,
I bet you live there n crap hole Nashville.
You tell lies to push your Democrat narrative.
You need to go back into the closet because you are making yourself look like a communist.
William Delzell,
The attempt to prevent illegal aliens, and other non-citizens, from voting has nothing to do with race. It has to do with their citizenship status. Non-Citizens should not be voting, and can’t legally vote. That is the beginning and the end of it. It doesn’t matter if that non-citizen or illegal alien is from France or Venezuela.
You, apparently, look at everything through a racial lens, and you don’t look at the facts, and reality of the scenario. I would encourage you to stop making everything about race and look at the facts and reality.
well said
Komrade Delzell, only U.S. citizens may legally vote in local, state and federal elections in Tennessee. This is not China or Russia or Cuba or Venezuela. Race or ethnicity is not a factor here – only in the minds of those who desire to overthrow our constitutional republic and replace it with totalitarian communism. Komrade, where is your mind?
As usual Democrats have no respect for the rule of law or fair elections. They can only win by cheating.
Be interesting to know if delzell is really that leftist dimmercrap stupid or if he’s just eliciting comments. I figger he’s hiding behind an alias because anybody with good sense wouldn’t spout that nonsense.
Of course the Democrats are enraged! Makes it harder for them to CHEAT and Lie!
After the Steele Dossier was proven to be 100% false, and the Hunter Biden laptop demonstrated to be 100% true. We should be allowed and expected to QUESTION EVERYTHING!
The Republican Legislture (Government Overreach Party) in this state targets only people with foreign-sounding names and of certain racial groups with letters questioning their voting eligibility in order to intimidate U.S. citizens of the “wrong” race (read non-white), “wrong” nationality (read Palestinian, Jew, Mexican, Puerto Rican, etc.), “wrong” ideology (read leftist or even moderate–non-Republican); “wrong” sexual orientation, etc.), and so forth from exercising their right to vote. This harks back to the days of so-called literacy/numeracy tests, grandfather clauses, and outright violence to violate people’s voting rights. We need to call down these legislators and the governor for the thugs they are in rigging elections in favor of far-right Republican office-holders. If you right-wingers were genuinely confident that you had the support of over ninety percent of voting-age Tennesseans, you would not feel the need to go such trouble in engaging in voter supression and intimidation. This is an admission on your part that the Tennessee G.O.P. (Government Overreach Party) really has no mandate in Tennessee. It keeps its power only through violence and intimidation.
Blah, blah, blah and blah. Troll