AP – Tennessee’s top election office has sent letters to more than 14,000 registered voters asking them to prove their United States (US) citizenship, a move that alarmed voting rights advocates as possible intimidation.
The letters, dated June 13, warned that it is illegal in Tennessee for noncitizens to vote and provided instructions on how to update voter information. The list was developed after comparing voter rolls with data from the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said Doug Kufner, spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, in a statement on Tuesday.
Kufner described the data from the state’s homeland security department as a “snapshot” of a person’s first interaction with that agency.
Some may not have been US citizens when they obtained a driver’s licence or ID card but have since been naturalised and “likely did not update their records”, he said. Driver’s licences in Tennessee must be renewed every eight years.
“Accurate voter rolls are a vital component to ensuring election integrity, and Tennessee law makes it clear that only eligible voters are allowed to participate in Tennessee elections,” Kufner said.
The letter does not, however, reveal what would happen to those who do not update their records – including whether people who fail to respond will be purged from the voter rolls.
Kufner did not immediately respond to an email seeking clarity on if voters were at risk of being removed.
Instead, the letter contains warnings that illegal voting is a felony and carries penalties of up to two years in prison.
Voting rights advocates began raising the alarm after photos of the letter started circulating on social media.
Democrats have long criticised the Secretary of State’s office for its stances on voting issues in the Republican-dominant state.
