A new study suggests that 3,000 out of the 14,000 self-identified transgender citizens of Tennessee do not have accurate identification for voting and face a likelihood they will be denied the opportunity to vote this election.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, in coordination with the National Center for Transgender Equality, conducted a survey earlier this year called the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, the results of which are available in a new report: The Potential Impact of Voter Identification Laws on Transgender Voters in the 2016 General Election.
The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition reminded followers in a Facebook post this week of the voter ID law:
We also wish to remind everyone that Tennessee has a Voter Suppression Law which requires the use of a Photo ID which has a gender marker. TTPC, along with other civil rights and social justice organizations, fought this legislation when it was in the Tennessee General Assembly. We share this information from our colleagues at the National Center for Transgender Equality about Voting While Trans: http://www.transequality.org/issues/voting-rights
The TransEquality website identifies ways voter ID laws can prevent trans citizens from voting and also includes a handy "Voting While Trans" checklist with resources for poll workers and election officials.
In that same Facebook post, the TTPC shared its endorsements for races of the Tennessee General Assembly.
Tennessee State Senate
District 10: Khristy Wilkinson
District 20: Erin Coleman
District 22: David Cutting
District 30: Sara Kyle
Tennessee House of Representatives
District 6: John Baker
District 7: Nancy Fischman
District 13: Gloria Johnson
District 21: Pamela Weston
District 22: Anna Miller Grabowski
District 25: Judy Bennett
District 48: Justin T. Miller
District 49: Brandon Thomas
District 51: Bill Beck
District 52: Mike Stewart
District 54: Brenda Gilmore
District 55: John Ray Clemmons
District 59: Sherry Jones
District 63: Courtenay Rogers
District 65: Holly McCall
District 85: Johnnie Turner
District 87: Karen Camper