The Sumner County Election Commission met the second Tuesday and started the New Year off getting things locked and ready to unload for the 2012 elections. The newly ordered red and blue Precinct Ballot Box keys were signed out by the respective Republican and Democratic appointees for safekeeping outside of the Election Office without ever being in the possession of or under the control of Administrator of Elections Lori Atchley.

That was the easy part. Atchley then put election commissioners to work in a secured storage area. As required by law to preserve the integrity of elections and the ballot boxes, they unlocked all of the triple-locked ballot boxes, verified that the boxes were empty, relocked them, applied the required numerically assigned tamper-proof seals, and certified that the work had been performed by and under the watchful eye of all required parties. Then commissioners got to return to their meeting to inspect new processed voter registration applications.

During her administrator’s report, Atchley indicated the investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation into the McDougal matter is still ongoing. District Attorney General Ray Whitley asked for the TBI to investigate after the Election Commission voted Nov. 30 to refer the matter to the DA’s office. The TBI is seeking to determine what happened on the evening of Nov. 15, 2011, after 39-year veteran of the Election Office and former Administrator Darlean McDougal was ousted in a party-line 3-2 vote.

As to what ballots look like, there is still a slight timing issue over what the County Commission will do as to abolishing the position of constables at its Jan. 23 meeting. That meeting would normally have fallen on the third Monday but Martin Luther King Day is a federal, state, and local holiday and the County Commission did not meet. The outcome of their decision affects whether the final ballot will contain constable primary races. “We can’t have two different ballots,” Atchley noted as to mailing out military ballots Jan. 21. Further guidance from the State Election Commission is being sought.

The redistricting process for everything prior to the March Presidential Preference Primary was fairly well complete. Redistricting for elections to the state House and Senate are a different matter. The General Assembly approved the new district lines Friday, Jan. 13. Once everything is signed and becomes law, new voter cards will be mailed to voters who are affected by changes. Candidates for the new House Districts 40, 44, and 45 and the new Senate District 18 were supposed to be able to pick up petitions Jan. 6 but lines were still being shifted Friday.

Precinct officials for the March Presidential Preference Primary have been appointed. Atchley advised that the mass exodus of poll workers did not materialize. That exodus had been predicted by angry McDougal supporters at the Nov. 15 meeting. “That just did not happen,” she explained. “Just a handful” of workers did not sign back up after she mailed out letters. Most of those who did not return were older senior citizens. Only about 15-20 percent at most, she said, did not sign up to continue to serve the community and many of them were elderly and retired.

 Atchley advised the commission that she was going out actively to visit organizations in the county to try and recruit new blood. “We are trying to bring the average age down because people will eventually retire,” she stated of the very high average age of those on the current poll worker list. Anyone interested in being a precinct official can contact 452-1456 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for information.

The current pool of precinct officials is about 750. About 350-400 will be used in an election. Atchley suggested that as policy, if a person does not work two consecutive elections, they can be removed.

K. Clay Haynes specifically asked about training on the new Voter ID law. Atchley said that workers would be required to come in for training this time because of the new requirement for Photo ID. There will be two classes held in February and also officer elections.

A lawsuit or attempted injunction over Photo ID for voting is expected. The Election Commission and Administrator will continue to push out education about the new law into the media, with utility bills, or any way they can get the word out.

“It will be very difficult to get an injunction,” stated Chairman Art McClellan of the high standards required by the US Supreme Court. McClellan, an attorney, cited the Indiana law on which Tennessee modeled its legislation. Indiana’s law held up in court.

The Commission approved satellite locations and dates for presentation of photo ID for provisional ballots. More provisional ballots are expected because of the new Photo ID law. Proof of Photo ID must be presented within two days of the election on either March 7 or 8 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with the hours deliberately kept the same as for Election Day. The four locations are the Sumner County Election Commission Office at the County Administration Building where early voting takes place, as well as Hendersonville City Hall, Portland City Hall, and White House City Hall for convenience.

by Jesse Hughes