Lawmakers call for investigation after thousands of Tennessee voters asked to prove citizenship before election

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Two Tennessee lawmakers are calling for an investigation after the state coordinator of elections sent out over 14,000 letters asking voters for proof of their citizenship before the upcoming election.

This comes just weeks before early voting starts for the primaries.

The letter was sent a select group of Tennesseans from the state coordinator of elections, Mark Goins. The letter reads that their voter information matches with an individual who may have not been a U.S. citizen at the time they got their driver license or ID card.

“On its face, this letter is voter intimidation,” State Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said.

The letter then asks for the voter to send back proof of their citizenship, such as their birth certificate or U.S. passport.

“It gives the impression—falsely—that there is another procedural step that they must jump through before they can vote in the upcoming elections,” Clemmons said.

Clemmons said a select group of voters both here in Nashville and across the state have received this letter.

“One from whom we heard became a U.S. citizen in 2006, and they received this letter. They are pulling this information for somewhere,” Clemmons said.

That is the representative’s biggest question, as he now calls on the Tennessee Attorney General to investigate why these voters were targeted.

“I want an investigation. I want answers. The people I represent and all the people across Tennessee deserve answers to this question: Why was this letter sent?” Clemmons said.

The letter also sends a strong reminder about the harsh penalties if you vote illegally, such as jail time and a $5,000 fine.

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“They don’t need the coordinator of elections sending them a letter outlining the criminal law and the penalty for unlawful voters and implying they have to mail in something verifying their citizenship in the upcoming weeks,” Clemmons said.

News 2 reached out to the attorney general’s office for a comment; however, we have not heard back. News 2 also reached out to the secretary of state’s office after Tennessee House Minority Leader Karen Camper (D-Memphis) sent a letter seeking clarification.

In response, the coordinator of elections wrote a letter, which says in part, “We are legally verifying our voter rolls to ensure they are correct and current. Our Office wants every eligible citizen to register to vote and vote in Tennessee elections. T.C.A. law requires my office to compare the voter rolls with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Security (Department of Safety) database to ensure non-U.S. citizens are not registered to vote in this state. . . The responses from citizens wanting to correct their information with us has been overwhelmingly positive. By providing an opportunity to those whose eligibility is in question to correct any outdated information, our voter roll information will be up to date, and the votes of the eligible Tennessee voters will be counted.”

It also states that the information received will be securely stored.

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