NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is probing whether Rhea County election officials illegally turned away voters they thought were Democrats.
According to The Knoxville News Sentinel, county election administrator Theresa Snyder said 10 voters with a history of voting in Democratic primary elections were barred from casting ballots in the Republican primary during early voting. Snyder claimed there is an orchestrated crossover voting campaign to back GOP challenger Ron Travis, who is running against state Rep. Jim Cobb in the 31st District.
Snyder told the Chattanooga Times Free Press she is "very confident" the investigation result will show she and others legally blocked Democratic voters.
There is no Democrat seeking the office, so the winner of the Republican primary will get it.
TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm said District Attorney Mike Taylor, on July 19, asked the state agency to investigate whether election officials were improperly challenging voters' political affiliation.
State law says a registered voter can cast a ballot in a primary election if he or she is a "bona fide member" of the party holding the election. However, there is a statutory provision that lets voters declare their "allegiance" to the party conducting a primary in which they want to vote.
Maxine Vincent, wife of Dayton Mayor Bob Vincent, told the Times Free Press last week that Snyder challenged her and other voters.
Vincent acknowledged voting in some Democratic primaries, but said she allowed Snyder to administer an oath to her in which she swore allegiance to Republicans. Vincent said Snyder immediately convened a panel of election officials that included Snyder and two other Republicans, and then said the challenge stood.
Vincent said she was allowed cast a paper ballot, but Snyder told her it would be "rejected."
Rhea County Democratic Party Chairwoman Doris Roy said she knows of no organized effort to cross over and vote against Cobb.
She said some Democrats had told her they supported Travis, but others said they backed Cobb.
State Election Coordinator Mark Goins said he has received complaints from people of both parties about the Rhea County party challenge to Vincent. He said he was unaware of any other challenges statewide. Goins said he talked with Snyder about Vincent and had not been contacted by the TBI.
Early voting continues through Saturday and the traditional election day is Aug. 2.