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NAACP says Tennessee’s voter ID law makes it harder for poor, minorities to vote

Dr. Elenora Woods, left, helps Yaritza Ramos register to vote at Piney Woods Resource Center in Alton Park on Saturday, July 23, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Dr. Woods says that anyone who needs to register to vote can come fill out a registration form at the civic center whenever it is open.
Dr. Elenora Woods, left, helps Yaritza Ramos register to vote at Piney Woods Resource Center in Alton Park on Saturday, July 23, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Dr. Woods says that anyone who needs to register to vote can come fill out a registration form at the civic center whenever it is open.

By Yolanda Putman 6 min read

photo Dr. Elenora Woods holds a voter registration form at Piney Woods Resource Center in Alton Park on Saturday, July 23, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Dr. Woods says that anyone who needs to register to vote can come fill out a registration form at the civic center whenever it is open.

Get registered

To schedule a voter registration drive with the NAACP call 423-280-0083 or email naacpchattanooga@epbfi.com.

Important dates

Early voting ends July 30. The county general and state/federal primary election is Aug. 4. The general election is Nov. 8.

Local NAACP officials say it’s getting harder for poor people and people of color to vote, and they point to Tennessee’s 2011 voter ID law as part of the problem.

“This year, we determine if America is a place for everyone or a place for a few,” said City Councilman Yusuf Hakeem, who spoke at the NAACP’s State of the Vote 2016 meeting this month.

“Some of the obvious things that should tell us how important voting is, is the effort to keep people from voting, like the new voting ID Laws,” Hakeem said. “We don’t want to give people looking to the past a free ride by not even going to the polls.”