NASHVILLE — The widely publicized case of 96-year-old Dorothy Cooper of Chattanooga, who ran into problems seeking a free photo ID to vote under a new Tennessee law, has taught officials an invaluable lesson, state Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons said today.
“In terms of other individuals who may be in that situation again, we’re encouraging our employees to use some commonsense discretion in deciding whether or not that person is presenting documentation that is legitimate and issue the photo ID accordingly,” Gibbons said.
He said the department has contacted Cooper and told her she would be issued the photo ID if she returns. Cooper said after being turned away initially that she intended to vote absentee, a process in which one mails his or her vote in to authorities. That does not require a photo ID.
Gibbons’ comments came during a news conference in which he, Secretary of State Tre Hargett and the Tennessee AARP outlined additional steps aimed at smoothing over difficulties some would-be voters are experiencing.
Today, Gibbons will join with Hamilton County Clerk Knowles at the Hamilton County Courthouse for a news conference about the additional services.
Andy Sher is a Nashville-based staff writer covering Tennessee state government and politics for the Times Free Press. A Washington correspondent from 1999-2005 for the Times Free Press, Andy previously headed up state Capitol coverage for The Chattanooga Times, worked as a state Capitol reporter for The Nashville Banner and was a contributor to The Tennessee Journal, among other publications. Andy worked for 17 years at The Chattanooga Times covering police, health care, county government, ...
When are you going to learn the lesson that smarmy partisan-organized voter suppression tactics against our most vulnerable is bald-faced FA$CI$M, and is an affront to the most sacred birthright of our Democracy? Those who organized this atrocity should be hounded from office and all such specious efforts, which passed with absolutely NO evidence of vote fraud, should be immediately stricken from law.
Those who feign ignorance of what the Wall Street Occupation is all about need look no further that this piece of fascist garbage constructed specifically as an underhanded means of gaining and keeping illicit POWER. They are about to be the recipients of a great lesson in power, as it is returned to THE PEOPLE.
Deranged Demagogues, plunder-monkeys, aristocratic Wall St.fops, platinum congress-whores, greed-mongering capitalist ogres, wannabee automatons and poisonous celebrity non-journalists beware. Your time has come.
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