Being disenfranchised sucks, and I'm only kind of disenfranchised

[Hippo_Tron]

To make a long story short, I found out today that someone at the Ford campaign accidentally left my voter registration form along with several others in a drawer and didn't turn them in until after the deadline to vote in the election. They tried to get the elections commission to make an exception but they wouldn't and so now I can't vote in Tennessee.

I'm not pissed at the Ford campaign because it was an honest mistake, but I am extremely pissed off because I really wanted to vote for Harold Ford and Phil Bredesen and against Corker and Bryson. Now I can't. Sure, I'll send in my absentee ballot for the Louisiana 1st district where my Republican Congressman Bobby Jindal will get 70%+ of the vote no matter what. It'll make me feel better, but in the end I'm still really pissed off that I won't get to vote in Tennessee. It's going to be extremely difficult for me to go make phone calls telling people to get off their ass and vote for Harold Ford when I won't be doing that myself. I'll probably get over it after a good night's sleep and decide to volunteer but right now I'm just so upset about this.

Does anyone have a similar story?

[MadMaddie]

1. This is the type of shit that boils my blood....the Dems should

be more accurate and ensure shit like this doesn't happen. I am sorry this has happened to you.....

Totally unacceptable......

[Hippo_Tron]

4. I'm just worried that this might be happening elsewhere

I understand that the people at the Ford campaign are human and do make mistakes. I was told the guy who screwed up was on the verge of resigning over it and had to be talked out of it. I do appreciate that kind of dedication as I admit that I haven't done nearly as much to help Democrats win in November as the people at the Ford campaign have.

But if this does occur frequently this is a real problem. Most of these forms were college students who were pretty damn likely to turn out on election day, I would certainly count myself among that category. The Ford/Corker race is neck and neck and the only way that Ford will be able to overcome the conservative tendencies of Tennesee is if there's a high turnout among African Americans and students. That won't happen if they can't vote.

[Innocent Smith]

2. Am I reading this correctly?

You were planning on voting in two different states?

[Hippo_Tron]

3. No, I was planning on voting in Tennesee

Now that I can't I will be voting in Lousiana where it won't make a difference.

[icymist]

5. How can you choose to vote in what state you wish to unless....

you live in both at the same time? How can you be regestered in LA and still try to regester in Tennesee?

[Hippo_Tron]

7. I'm a college student and I have residence in both states

I was registered in Louisiana and presumably that registration would become invalid once my registration for Tennessee was processed. However since it won't be processed until after the election I am still registered to vote in Louisiana and I plan on doing so absentee.

[Innocent Smith]

6. Gotcha - I figured I was misreading

That's really too bad that you can't get to vote where you currently live.

[Mnemosyne]

8. I was *lost* when the county data was filed onto computers. 1984.

It stinks. Apparently there were quite a few that were lost that year. I found out on election day and was a bit upset; I had not missed an election since the primary in 1976 and had worked on my first local campaign that year.

The ladies at the polls were sympathetic, but it didn't help much after not being able to vote against Raygun, that mean old misguided bastard, nor for my candidate. I had to re-register twice that year, again when I moved.

It's caused me to feel almost an anguish at losing my voice from someone's simple mistake. The right to vote is so precious; how sad that so few ever exercise this amazing right. People do make honest mistakes, but you learn even more about what it truly means to have your voice heard when it has been silenced. I'm sure you can agree with that about now.

I'm sorry it happened to you. :(

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Yea, that's basically how I feel

I consider voting to be the most effective form of protest and making my voice be heard. Now that it won't be (at least in a close race) I feel like I've been silenced. This is also the first federal election in which I will get to vote.

[Mnemosyne]

10. That really does suck! Just remember that

anything you do to help win this election matters much! :hug:

[Lars39]

11. You are still going to be registered in TN,

even though your registration was turned in late for this election.
You'll be able to vote in the next election.
The TN Election Commissioner for the county you live in and have now registered in will be contacting he Election Commissioner in the county and state you used to live in, to have your name removed from the voting rolls there.
You should not be voting absentee in a place you are no longer registered.

[Hippo_Tron]

12. The letter also said that my registration won't be processed until...

3 to 4 weeks after the November election. So technically I am still registered in Louisiana for another month or so. I'll give the elections commission a call just to make sure, though.