NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A group of nonprofits, community organizations, and lawmakers is calling hundreds of thousands of Tennessee voters listed as “inactive” to encourage them to vote, or risk being purged from the rolls.
Under state law, a voter’s status changes to “inactive” if they fail to cast a ballot for four years. If the voter takes no action — including voting, updating registration, or signing a petition — for an additional two federal election cycles, or up to four years, they are purged from the voter rolls.
Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom
There are currently 740,000 “inactive” voters in Tennessee, with 140,000 in Shelby County alone.
“They may not know that in the state of Tennessee, your right to vote is not permanent,” Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), a congressional candidate, said. “It is a privilege that can be taken away if you do not vote within eight years.”…