That is Sarah. Nothing fires her up fairly like serving to her group. She fought for these new streetlights. I keep it up till it occurs. That’s just about how I work. [LAUGHS] Common trash assortment. And all people stated that will by no means occur. They don’t seem to be going to have rubbish pickup in Northaven. And the quarter-million-dollar renovation of this park. My goal is to serve and to serve others and be part of change for the nice. It’s secure to say any neighborhood can be rattling fortunate to have her. However in her effort to enhance her small nook of the world, there’s one factor Sarah isn’t allowed to do. I can’t vote. Tennessee Tennessee. Tennessee. Welcome to Tennessee. We don’t have democracy. In Tennessee violations of the Voting Rights Act. Lowest rating in relation to democracy. Sarah has lived right here since she was a child. It’s the place she raised her youngsters and her grandchildren and the place she now heads her neighborhood affiliation. I’m your president. But it surely’s additionally the place, again in 1992, I obtained right into a struggle with a girl. It was a selection that I made within the warmth of a second that modified my life ceaselessly. Sarah was convicted of aggravated assault. And like almost all Individuals convicted of a felony, Sarah misplaced her proper to vote. But when Sarah lived in nearly another state, she’d be capable to get her voting rights again. Gov. Steve Sisolak signed a invoice right this moment that restores the fitting to vote. Restoring voting rights to 50,000-plus Minnesotans. As a result of retaining individuals from voting after they’ve paid their debt to society is unfair and undemocratic. However not Tennessee. Its Republican-controlled authorities continues to march proudly in the wrong way. In consequence, 21 p.c of Black adults in Tennessee have misplaced their proper to vote due to a felony conviction. Its the very best price within the nation. That’s over 200,000 individuals. The excellent news is Tennessee has a path for reclaiming voting rights. The dangerous information is the method is absurdly sophisticated. Right here’s what the Tennessee bureaucrats lined up for Sarah if she desires to vote in November. First, the state requires her to revive what are referred to as her rights of citizenship. There’s a few methods to do that. She may file a request for the governor to pardon her, which incorporates gathering 5 letters of advice, writing a canopy letter, writing an in depth, one-page narrative of her crime and monitoring down a licensed copy of your legal historical past report; licensed copy of every judgment conviction for which you might be requesting a pardon; licensed copy of the order granting probation; licensed copy of the orders of discharge from the probation and/or parole; copies of diplomas, levels, certificates {and professional} licenses; licensed copies of any excellent fines or forfeitures. Additionally, out of everybody who utilized for clemency within the final fiscal yr, solely 3 p.c have been granted. Her different choice is to rent a lawyer and attempt to persuade a decide to revive her rights. This may value her at the least a pair grand and who doesn’t have a pair grand mendacity round? And lots of extra grands if she must attraction. And get this: She’ll additionally have to persuade a decide to provide her her gun rights again, as a result of in Tennessee the fitting to bear arms is a proper of citizenship. So if Sarah desires to revive her voting rights, the decide should additionally restore her gun rights. What? However wait. There’s extra. Sarah must get her arms on a doc referred to as a certificates of restoration, which certifies that she’s accomplished her probation and paid off all her courtroom prices and restitution. She may ask a probation officer to fill it out, however they might ship her to the county clerk’s workplace, who’s going to want her to repay any excellent fines or charges she might need. She’s fairly certain she’s paid off all her money owed, however she’ll want the paperwork to show it. After which she’ll need to return to the clerk’s workplace once more, hoping they’ll fill out the shape. If Tennessee lawmakers designed this course of to maintain almost half 1,000,000 individuals from voting, they’ve been wildly profitable. Guess what number of have succeeded in restoring their voting rights between 2020 and 2022? Lower than 1 p.c. Makes me really feel like they’re saying I’m not a citizen. You’re simply right here, like I’m a foreigner in my very own nation. It makes you wish to surrender. Wholesome democracies characterize the desire of the individuals. So when a state prevents almost 10 p.c of adults from voting, the method is damaged. Some would possibly say that’s the worth of doing crime. However don’t we imagine in rehabilitation? In 2020 voting rights teams sued the State of Tennessee. The case is awaiting trial. However there’s one other means for the state to revive voting rights. Gov. Invoice Lee may observe the instance of fellow Republican governor Kim Reynolds, who used her govt energy to do that. Fairly merely, when somebody serves their sentence and pays the worth our justice system has set for his or her crimes, they need to have their proper to vote restored mechanically, plain and easy. So what’s the holdup, Governor Lee? You frightened Sarah will flip Tennessee blue? [VOICE OFF CAMERA] Who do you assume you’d vote for? I’d vote for Trump. [LAUGHS] I’d get banned from all the things [LAUGHS] if I inform ‘em I’m going to vote for Trump. However, hey. [MUSIC PLAYING]
