Democrats push effort to increase participation
This legislative session, Democratic lawmakers are hoping to advance legislation that could play a role in this year’s election.
In the first two weeks of the session, Tennessee Democrats have introduced a number of election-related bills, ranging from restoring voting rights for some to changing registration deadlines.
One, sponsored by Sen. Lee Harris, D-Memphis, would allow Tennesseans to register to vote 15 days before an election. Current law requires voters to be registered 30 days before an election.
A bill by Rep. Brenda Gilmore, D-Nashville, would allow voters to register on election day.
A third measure, from Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, would require disclosure for political communications on social media.
REVERSING VOTERS’ DECLINING TURNOUT
On Thursday, Democrats in the House and Senate openly discussed their overall efforts while occasionally blaming Republicans for low voter turnout in Tennessee.
“Tennessee shouldn’t be dead last in democracy,” Yarbro said, adding that the state was ranked in the middle of the pack in voter turnout as recently as 2006.
A study from the Pew Research Center found Tennessee ranked 43, 49, 46 and 50 in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014, respectively, in terms of voter turnout.
Yarbro said several measures advanced by Republicans are partially responsible for the decline in voter participation.
“I would like to think that folks on the other side don’t want to weaken democracy,” he said. “But we need to see some evidence that proves that.”
Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, disagreed with Yarbro’s assessment, citing the recent addition of online voter registration as evidence to the contrary.
“The argument that Republicans don’t care about increasing turnout in Tennessee just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny,” Yager said.
Yager pointed out as recently as last month that he and other Republicans, including Sen. Steve Dickerson of Nashville, joined Democrats in a bipartisan effort to increase voter participation.
“Republicans have no problem expanding the electorate,” Yager said.
“Our message of low taxes, economic opportunity and fiscal responsibility is a compelling one with proven results in Tennessee,” he said. “I am confident that new voters in Tennessee will do the same thing those who vote regularly do: Vote Republican.”
SENATE SPEAKER: GOP CHAMPIONING VOTER REGISTRATION
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, also disagreed with Yarbro, saying ensuring the voter rolls are accurate and encouraging people to vote are not mutually exclusive.
“From championing online voter registration to publicly advocating for more voter participation, Republicans have been for expanding voter outreach for years,” McNally said. “To assert otherwise is just not true.”
Conceding that online voter registration has helped the state advance, Rep. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, said more work remains.
“At the end of the day when you have a mayoral race in Memphis where 10 percent of the people vote and you have a race in Nashville where 12 percent of the people vote, those that are elected are not truly representing the majority of the population,” Akbari said.
Highlighting his bill to change the registration deadline, Harris said the vast majority of states are friendlier to voters.
“It’s time for us to catch up with the rest of the states that give voters more time to register,” he said.
OTHER MEASURES INTRODUCED IN 2017
The Democrats’ new bills come on top of measures they introduced last year.
Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, said he planned to reintroduce a bill that would let underage Tennesseans check a box while getting a driver’s license if they wanted to be registered to vote once they turn 18. The bill failed to get a procedural motion to allow lawmakers to take it up in committee.
Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, said he would continue to push his bill to let students use their ID cards when voting.
Rep. Johnnie Turner, D-Memphis, said she would reintroduce a bill that would nix a law that prevents ex-offenders with outstanding child support obligations from voting.
Discussing the Democrats’ overall effort, House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley, concluded, “We need to make sure that we make every effort so our citizens, no matter where they are, how old they are, if they are infirmed or not, that they have the right to vote.”
While the group highlighted many of their own measures, not all election-related bills introduced this session have come from Democrats.
Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, and Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport, have introduced a measure to allow voters issued an absentee ballot to vote with a provisional ballot.
Sen. Mark Green, R-Clarksville, and Rep. Curtis Johnson, R-Clarksville, are sponsoring a bill to require a study of the state’s voter data system.
Cade Cothren, a spokesman for the House Republican Caucus, said that thanks to the GOP and Secretary of State Tre Hargett, Tennessee has some of the “most substantial and credible voter protection laws in the entire country.”
“We also have some of the most convenient, including free photo IDs for students, support services for elderly and disabled voters, and even online voter registration,” Cothren said.
“It is unfortunate that Democrats are focused on using this false narrative of low voter turnout as an excuse for their problems as a party,” he said. “Instead, they should spend their time and energy on recruiting candidates that reflect Tennessee values and inspire citizens to go to the polls.”
Contact Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.