After the Shelby County Election Commission purged more than 30,000 inactive voter records, voters are concerned about whether their votes will count this August. “Why all of a sudden that thirty two thousand voters records are purged from Shelby County in the last five months,” asked concerned voter Kermit Moore. At the main library in Memphis Saturday, State Representative G.A. Hardaway hosted a voter’s right’s forum. Richard Holden Administrator of Elections explained voters who haven’t been to the polls in 8 years were removed from their system. “We want every vote to be counted and not to be lost,” said Holden, “even those that have been purged, if they’re still alive and still in Shelby County can re register by simply submitting an application by Tuesday.”
Holden says about 20 precincts have relocated. Also, for the first time in Shelby County history, all precincts are handicapped accessible. “Everybody will receive a letter (who’s precinct changes), they will also receive a new voter registration card,” stated Holden. A new law requiring voters to produce a federal or state I.D. was met with skepticism. “It says that it’s all about fraud but it’s not fraud it’s all about voter suppression,” stated Moore.
Full Article: Shelby County elections facing changes in August – Action News 5 – Memphis, Tennessee.