Last month, Tennessee election officials sent letters to 14,375 registered voters asking for proof of citizenship. The state has now clarified that recipients won't be removed from voting rolls if they don't respond. A follow-up letter was sent to those who didn't reply to the initial correspondence. So far, nearly 3,200 individuals have provided evidence of U.S. citizenship, and over 300 have requested removal from the voter rolls.
The original mailing list was based on data from the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security, which tracks residents' citizenship status. The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation had planned to sue the state over the letters, arguing that voters needed to know they wouldn't lose their registration by ignoring the request.
The state confirmed that no one will be removed from the voting list for not responding to the initial letter. The secretary of state's office declined to release the names of recipients but provided zip code information. Notably, over 1,200 letters were sent to a zip code with a significant Black and brown population.
The ACLU alleged that Tennessee's actions violated federal laws and constitutional rights, claiming that the letters targeted naturalized citizens in a discriminatory manner. The state's follow-up letter emphasized that naturalized citizens and eligible voters are encouraged to vote.
While the state defended the letters as necessary to ensure election integrity, Democrats have criticized the move, pointing out that Tennessee has low voter turnout rates compared to other states. The controversy comes amid a national debate on voter fraud and citizenship requirements for voter registration.
