Why It Matters
Tennessee election officials are urging voters to verify their selections after reports that voting screens displayed incorrect candidate names or required repeated button presses. The guidance applies before ballots are cast in the Nov. 3 election.
What Happened
State Sen. Heidi Campbell spoke with Davidson County Election Office officials during early voting about voter complaints involving ballot-marking machines. Campbell said the reports did not suggest intentional wrongdoing, saying, “However, I don’t think it’s indicative of any foul play.”
Officials told Campbell that the machines were not connected to the Internet and had been properly calibrated. Some voters nevertheless reported seeing the wrong candidate name after touching a selection and said they had to press the correct button two or three times.
The Davidson County Election Office advised voters to inspect their ballots before finalizing them. Voters who notice a problem should contact a poll official before casting the ballot.
Richard “Rique” Patire reported a similar issue during the Democratic primary in August and filed a complaint with the Davidson County Election Office. Patire said he received the wrong ballot after attempting to vote for Democratic candidates, while an election worker told him the machine selection had been recorded.
Chad Gray said, “All voting equipment undergoes thorough logic and accuracy testing by both Republican and Democratic representatives before being used in an election.”
By the Numbers
Nov. 3 — election date
two or three times — reported number of presses needed to select the correct candidate
three constitutional amendment questions — questions Tennessee encouraged voters to review
August — month when Patire reported a similar problem
Zoom Out
Tennessee’s Secretary of State’s Office encouraged voters to verify selections using the safeguards provided by voting systems: the initial selection display, a summary screen listing all choices, and the paper ballot generated for review.
Davidson County voters will receive plastic sticks for casting ballots. Williamson County supplied styluses at every polling location.
What’s Next
Election officials are directing voters to review their selections and report any discrepancy to poll workers before submitting ballots. Tennessee also encouraged voters to review the three constitutional amendment questions on the ballot.