COVID-19 & the VOTE

Cartoon by Kevin Necessary of the Cincinnati Enquirer

**UPDATE On Wednesday, August 5, 2020 the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s ruling that allowed TN residents to vote via absentee ballot due to COVID19.  Apparently the reasoning for the overturn is “voter fraud” just as 45 insisted 🙄.  Read HERE for more details!**

Due to COVID-19 safety concerns, 4.1 million registered voters in Tennessee, now have the choice to cast a ballot by postal mail.  A judge ruled that the current limits on absentee voting presented "an unreasonable burden on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution." 

Here are the rules:

1. Must be registered to vote in the state of Tennessee
2. Request for a "Vote by Mail" ballot must be requested by July 30, 2020
3. Request must be made by the person who will be voting in the August 6, 2020 election
4. Request form can be printed out and mailed, scanned to fax or scanned to email to be sent to your local county election commission office
5. Ballot must be received by postal mail by the close of polls on election day, August 6, 2020 (the ballot can NOT be hand delivered)

You can obtain your request form HERE.

The State Attorney General of Tennessee has filed a request to appeal and stay the court's decision to allow all voters the choice to vote by mail.  This means that the Attorney General is against allowing all voters the choice to vote by mail, regardless of the current pandemic.

He is not alone.  Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, also thinks vote by mail is not necessary for every voter.  Those that oppose absentee ballots, like No. 45 ,believe there is a higher likely hood of voter fraud.  However, research suggest that mail in voter fraud is rare.

Only 14% of Tennessee voters turned out in the 2016 primary and only 62% for the November 2016 Presidential election.

Does this make a difference for you?

How will you vote, in person or by mail?

Will you vote?

To see where your state stands on mail in elections click HERE.

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