Republican secretary of state sends vaguely worded letter to voters weeks before primary

Republican secretary of state sends vaguely worded letter to voters weeks before primary

Tennessee’s top election official asked more than 14,000 registered voters to prove their citizenship in a vaguely worded letter last month in what voting and immigrant groups say is an attempt to intimidate voters.

The office of the Tennessee secretary of state, Tre Hargett, a Republican, sent the letter to 14,375 voters on 13 June, weeks before early voting was to begin for the state’s August primary. “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 license or ID card,” the letter says.

It goes on to remind the recipient that illegal voting is a felony in Tennessee punishable with up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. It requests that any person who received the letter who is a citizen provide proof, such as a US passport, birth certificate, naturalization papers or other document.

The letter offers no information about what happens if someone does not reply. It also offers no information on how their names were flagged for review. Doug Kufner, a spokesman for Hargett, did not return requests for comment.

    • kboy101222@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      It’s TN. They’ll win every seat except Nashville, Memphis, and that one West TN area I always forget the name of but they always vote Democrat. The first KKK was founded here, and the second and third were founded a stones throw away. I should know, I’ve been to Stone Mountain and witnessed Even-More-Racist-Mount-Rushmore.

      That mentality has never really left rural Tennessee. Hell, even suburban Tennessee is wildly racist. My parents home town has outright stated they’ll never allow public transportation because it’d bring in more Black and Mexican people to their 85% white city.

      Also last time I heard this from the city’s attorney, he didn’t say “Black” or “Mexican”. Instead it was an outright slur.

      Again, this is from the city’s attorney. And he’s probably the least racist high level official.

      They live 20 minutes from Nashville.

      • mozz@mbin.grits.dev
        0·
        4 months ago

        Oooh

        So the purpose is the racism, not the impact on the election

        Makes sense. And, trying to get in on the party of voter suppression and just kinda kayın the groundwork for deportations or simple violence or whatever, while everyone else is doin that stuff

        Makes sense 😢

        • kboy101222@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          0·
          4 months ago

          Almost anything you see coming out of this God forsaken state is intended to hurt someone or to benefit the rich and powerful.

          The last good thing that I can remember is when Tennessee Promise got passed and made college “free”. Except you had to go to either a 2 year community college or one of a handful of specific colleges (which conveniently didn’t include any HBCUs). And then you had to be enrolled in a 2 year program. And if you ever dared to declare a major (which was really easy to do accidentally), you immediately lost it for every future semester with no hope of an appeal.

          Basically, there were a million ways to lose it and never get it back. This isn’t evidence of anything, but I don’t know a single person who managed to keep it for the full 2 years at a regular university.