Stella Parton, the younger sister of the late country music superstar Dolly Parton, is raising concerns about Tennessee’s early voting process after claiming a voting machine repeatedly switched her selection to Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn instead of her preferred Democratic candidate. Her accounts have since raised concerns online, especially after some voters expressed similar experiences.
Parton shared her experience on Facebook on October 21, saying she had to correct her ballot three times while voting at the Hermitage Library near Nashville. “In Tennessee last week at the Hermitage Library where I voted, I had to go back three times and correct my vote because it kept defaulting to Marsha Blackburn,” she wrote. “I would never vote for her for anything.”
Parton urged other voters to carefully check their selections before casting their ballots, warning that people should not feel pressured to rush through the process because of long lines. “Do it anyway. Don’t let them rig this election,” Parton added.
In a follow-up post, Parton said she felt more frightened and frustrated than angry about the experience, questioning whether voters could trust the process if their selections were not being recorded correctly. The allegations come amid a closely watched Tennessee gubernatorial race between Blackburn, a Republican U.S. senator, and Democratic candidate Jerri Green, a Memphis City Council member.
Other Voters Chimed In
It appears Parton is not the only voter to report similar problems. WSMV Nashville reported that at least two voters in neighboring Williamson County encountered issues while trying to select Green on voting machines. One voter, Jackie Herrud, told the station that her selection repeatedly switched back to Blackburn, leaving her worried about whether her vote would be counted correctly.
Other voters also shared similar experiences in the comments on Parton’s Facebook post. “That happened to me too in Brentwood, at the Holt Library. Luckily I caught it!” according to a Facebook user. Another commenter said the machines were moving slowly when she voted at Hermitage Library, adding that she had to press her selection several times before it registered.
One voter claimed online that she experienced the same problem but initially dismissed it as possible user error. Others urged voters to inspect their printed ballots before submitting them. However, the reports do not establish that voting machines deliberately changed votes or that election officials manipulated the results. The cause of the reported problems remains unclear.
Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins previously told The Tennessean that the state’s voting systems have safeguards intended to ensure ballots reflect voters’ choices. Election officials have advised voters who encounter problems to notify poll workers so the issue can be investigated.
Early voting in Tennessee runs through October 29, with high turnout adding pressure to an already closely watched election. Parton’s warning has renewed calls from voters to double-check their ballots before submitting them.
