Slanted guide handed to Monroe County voters, candidate says

photo Election, vote, voting tile

BY THE NUMBERSStatewide Amendment resultsAmendment // Yes // NoNo. 1 // 52.61 percent // 47.39 percentNo. 2 // 60.92 percent // 39.08 percentNo. 3 // 66.22 percent // 33.78 percentNo. 4 // 69.6 percent // 30.4 percentMonroe County resultsNo. 1 // 61.77 percent // 38.23 percentNo. 2 // 63.96 percent // 36.04 percentNo. 3 // 69.84 percent // 30.16 percentNo. 4 // 70.13 percent // 29.87 percent

A former Tennessee House of Representatives candidate says poll workers in Monroe County broke election law during early voting by distributing a misleading, politically slanted guide covering the four constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Pamela Weston, a Democrat who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the House District 21 post, filed a complaint with Secretary of State Tre Hargett's office Friday.

In the complaint, Weston said poll workers at two early voting locations in Monroe County had given voters the guides when questioned about the amendments on the ballot from Oct. 16 to Oct. 22.

In a phone interview Friday, Weston said the guide was written solely to influence voters. The worst examples were its instructions on Amendment 1, the so-called abortion amendment, and Amendment 3, the income tax amendment, she said.

Amendment 1 asked if the General Assembly should be able to further regulate abortion. But the guide said a No vote meant "you are saying that you think there should be fewer restrictions on abortion and that abortion clinics do not need to be licensed or inspected. In addition, you believe late term (partial birth) abortions need fewer restrictions."

The entry for Amendment 3 on the guide said a No vote meant "you believe Tennessee needs to eventually get a state income tax."

Weston said the material should never have been within 100 feet of the polling places.

"If you believe in partial birth abortion, vote no. Absolutely that's trying to sway things. If you vote no, it means you want a state income tax, no that's not what [the amendment] said. It's more complicated than that," Weston said.

State Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown, was the original author of the guide. A spokesman for Keisling said Friday the representative had no knowledge or intention of the material being used at the polls by election officials.

"He was completely unaware. Monroe County is not in his district," said Keisling legislative assistant Josh Warren. "He would never condone it being passed out at polling places."

Weston said poll workers first told her Monroe County Election Administrator James Brown gave the handouts to poll workers for their own personal use. But she later found a stack of them at another polling location in plain view of voters.

Monroe County Election Administrator James Brown said Friday he had only "partial knowledge" of the handout.

"I'll just need to read into and research before I make any comment," Brown said.

But Weston said Brown was fully aware, because the Secretary of State's office had already told him the guides needed to be removed.

Blake Fontenay, a spokesman for Hargett, said in an email Friday the office was aware of the situation.

"We were contacted by Monroe County. In response, we emailed election officials in all 95 counties to remind them of the requirements of TCA 2-7-111, which prohibits the distribution of explanatory language regarding questions on the ballot," Fontenay said.

Breaking that law is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $50 fine, 30 days in jail or both, according to state law.

All amendments passed in Monroe County at higher percentages than statewide figures.

Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.

Upcoming Events