LWVWC CALL TO ACTION by 6/12/23
POSITION: The League of Women Voters (LWV) supports secure and easy access for voting.
ISSUE BACKGROUND: Since 2020 the Williamson County Election Commission has been challenged by the community group, “Voters for Election Integrity” to stop using voting machines and instead use hand-marked and hand-counted ballots. Vote-counting machines are legally mandated by the State of TN for all county election commissions in which numbers of registered voters exceed three hundred. In addition, hand-marked and hand-counted ballots are far less secure or accurate.
On May 8, Williamson County Commissioners voted 12-11 against funding voting machines as recommended in the Wm. Co. Election Commission budget. At the June 12 County Commissioner meeting there will be another vote on funding WCEC voting machines.
CALL TO ACTION: CALL YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS before June 12th.
Find who your two Commissioners are at https://sos.tn.gov/govotetn.Locate their contact information at https://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/Directory.aspx?DID=3 or google the Williamson County TN official website sidebar option “members” for Commissioner contact information. Printing a copy of the PDF link option can provide quick access for future reference.
SUGGESTED CONVERSATION TEMPLATE:
Ask: Did you vote in support of the Election Commission’s budget for voting machines? If “yes”, thank him/her for supporting TN election law.
If his/her “‘No”
Ask: Do you realize that not providing vote-counting machines in Wm. Co. is unlawful and is under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State’s office?
Ask next: Can you assure me that on June 12, you will follow TN law and vote to support the WCEC budget request for voting machines?
Conclude: Thank you for taking the time to reevaluate your decision and for speaking with me.
If Commissioners suggest that they are willing to defy state law and be sued for it, remind them that they are needlessly wasting our taxpayer dollars which they have sworn to use prudently.
