Palestine Murray gets her voter ID Saturday at the Tennessee Department of Safety.DRIVER SERVICE CENTERS• Hamilton County6502 Bonny Oaks Drive, Chattanooga4873 Dayton Blvd., Red Bank• Bradley County301 James Asbury Drive NW, Cleveland
NASHVILLE — Tennessee issued 12,571 photo IDs for voters between July 1 and Jan. 30, the state Safety Department announced Thursday.
Under a Republican-backed law that took effect Jan. 1, all Tennessee voters must display state or federally issued photo identification to vote.
Republicans say the law is necessary to prevent voter fraud, but Democrats and other critics charge the measure is part of a national movement by the GOP and its allies to discourage the elderly, minorities and students from voting.
Democrats have introduced legislation in the General Assembly this year to gut the law.