Officials Continue Push on New Voter ID Law

Yesterday all 95 counties in Tennessee held meetings to educate voters on new photo ID requirements. WPLN’s Daniel Potter went to one in north Nashville, where only about a dozen people turned out, largely members of interested groups.
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Daynise Couch directs Organized Neighbors of Edgehill. She says a lot of people in the area are older. That means they could get around the ID requirement by voting absentee, but Couch says they shouldn’t have to.

“That sort of strips them of the glamor of being able to vote. I mean some people really look forward – especially people who are that age, especially black people that age who fought for the right to vote and who for so long did not have that right.”

Couch is worried those without a photo ID won’t have the proper paperwork to get one.

Another big concern from voting-rights advocates is people may not even know about the new law. Elections Administrator Albert Tieche says Nashville will mail 9,600 registered voters whose driver’s licenses don’t have their picture. So he’s confident they’ll reach everyone who needs an ID.

“We have 350 thousand registered voters. Sending out 96 hundred letters is something we do all the time. That is not a large number to us when you’re dealing with 350 thousand.”

The new voter ID requirements take effect next year.

Most photo IDs issued by federal or state government will work to vote, including a drivers’ license, passport, military ID or gun permit card. Officials stress an expired drivers’ license or one from out of state is fine. But they won’t take photo IDs from banks or colleges.