MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – Check out the signs. They’re big, they’re bold, and in some cases they’re illegal.
Early voting in the Memphis elections begins Friday the 13th. If that’s not enough to worry you, nothing is.
But Shelby County Election Commission Administrator Linda Phillips doesn’t believe in signs, especially candidates signs that are posted in the wrong areas.
“The city of Memphis has a very clear policy about the size of signs and where they can be placed,” she says. “That’s on our website, and it’s not to be mean to anybody. It’s a safety hazard. If you put a big sign near a corner, then drivers can’t see through that.”
That concerns her. Complaints about the voting machines getting hacked, resulting in people not sure their vote will count, that makes Linda Phillips upset.
“This is not something that voters should worry about,” she says. “The machines can’t be hacked unless you have access to them, and I don’t let strangers have access to my voting machines.”
Earlier in the week, a group called Shelby Advocates for Valid Elections (SAVE) held a news conference saying that major changes needed to be made to make the current voting machines secure. Two former state legislators led the call. Former State Representative and City Councilwoman Carol Chumney talked about the current Diebold machines saying, “It can be connected to the internet, and it has been connected to the internet.”
Former legislator and school board member Mike Kernell agreed, saying the machines have been connected to the internet, making them potential victims of viruses or tampering.
“Now they may be sitting there, right now, not on the internet,” he said. “But they have been on the internet.”
Linda Phillips again said voters need not worry. Their vote will be counted for the candidate they selected.
“We don’t allow strangers wandering in our warehouse,” said Phillips. “We have very tight control over the servers. They are not connected to the internet. They’ve never been connected as long as I’ve been here.”