Dorothy Cooper may be 96, but she’s become the poster child for Democratic opposition to a Republican-sponsored state law requiring photo identification to vote — she’s even attracted the attention of the nation’s Democrat in Chief. Days after the Chattanooga resident was denied the free photo ID card promised in a new state law, state Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester cited her travails in a campaign fundraising email.
Forrester’s email said that “Tennessee’s new Republican ‘photo ID’ law has successfully suppressed another voter,” as reported by Nashville Scene. It invited potential donors to “Please give $5, $10 or $25 to support our efforts to ensure people like Dorothy — or your grandmother — can be a voter on Election Day.”
On Thursday, when Cooper went to the driver’s license center in Red Bank for her second try at getting the ID, videographers with Barack Obama’s presidential campaign were there to record events, Tennessee campaign spokeswoman Addie Whisenant said.
Democratic Party spokesman Brandon Puttbrese said Cooper “was very receptive” when the party asked about citing her experience in voter education and registration drives.
“We made sure she was OK with this,” Puttbrese said Friday. “She and every other law-abiding citizen just want people to be able to vote.”
Full Article: Chattanooga woman denied voting ID gains national attention | timesfreepress.com.