TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on May 5, 2020

A group of voter rights advocates has brought a federal lawsuit against Secretary of State Tre Hargett, Elections Coordinator Mark Goins and Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich over the state’s “restrictive excuse” requirements for absentee ballots, the Daily Memphian reports. The Equity Alliance, the A. Phillip Randolph Institute of Memphis and others are claiming the state’s “strict limits” on eligibility for absentee voting do not take the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration. The lawsuit also points toward criminal prohibitions on assisting voters in obtaining absentee ballot requests.  “… In light of the ongoing public health crisis, Tennessee’s failure to make the already-existing voting system available to all voters so that they do not have to choose between their right to vote and their health imposes an undue burden on Tennesseans’ exercise of their right to vote,” the lawsuit states. State officials have said they are putting together a plan to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in conjunction with county election officials.