MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Friday, District Attorney Steve Mulroy, mayoral candidate Van Turner and Shelby County Commissioner Erika Sugarmon held a joint press conference after they say some voters reported having problems getting paper ballots.
“It was uncomfortable and you should never feel uncomfortable going into a voting location,” says Memphis voter Janeita Lentz.
Voters in Shelby County are supposed to have the option of using either a paper ballot or one of the new voting machines.
But Mulroy said voters at multiple polling places claim that isn’t the case everywhere.
“Either polling place officials are not in fact, offering voters a paper ballot option or if the voter asks for a paper ballot, they're being actively discouraged," Mulroy said.
The D.A. said White Station Church of Christ, Collierville’s Compassion Church of Christ and the New Bethel voting location, are among the half-dozen poling places where this is happening.
Elena Williams said that at the Dave Wells voting location, polling officials encouraged her to use the machine because it would be easier. Instead, she says it was quite the opposite.
“The machines are very touch sensitive,” she said. “Almost every vote that I cast for my candidate went to the other candidate. My fingers are not that not that wide. I don't have fat fingers.”
Lentz said that when she showed up to vote at Mississippi Boulevard Church, some polling officials were excessively thanking people for using the voting machines.
“And when I asked for a paper ballot, one of the election workers said, ‘Well, are you sure you don't want to use the machine? It's so easy,’” Lentz said.
Linda Phillips, administrator of elections with the Shelby County Election Commission, released the following statement to ABC24:
“Fortunately, the voting public can go to the polls and see for themselves that paper ballots are being offered. As with any process, there might be an outlier or two. However, the ballot options are clearly outlined on the check-in table of every voting location and all poll workers have been instructed to inform voters of their options.”
Mulroy said he believes her, but said the election commission must redouble its efforts so that voters have easy access to both options everywhere.
“Where voters are uniformly, every time, offered a paper ballot option and then are not in any way discouraged,” he said. “There should be no steering towards the machines just because the poll officials are more used to machines.”
Especially in time for Election Day.
“I feel like they should be trained better on respecting people’s choice and helping them make that choice,” Lentz said.
Mulroy did say that polling places like the Lakeland location are clearly offering both options, with two distinct lines for either paper ballots or the machines.