Monday, October 10, 2011 6:30 am

The State of  Tennessee wants every election office to conduct a town hall meeting to go over the new Voter Photo ID requirements.

Cannon County's Election Administrator Stan Dobson announced to the Election Commission last week that the meeting for Cannon County will be November 1st in the Gymnasium of the Woodbury Grammar School at 7:00 p.m.  

The meeting was originally supposed to be held at Cannon County High School on the same date, but school officials notified the Election Administration office of a conflict in scheduling.

Dobson said the similar meetings to explain the requirements and process of voter photo ID will be held across the state on Nov. 1.

Starting in 2012, registered voters in Tennessee will have to show government-issued photo identification in order to cast a ballot at the polls.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Tennessee driver license with a photo (valid or expired);

• A driver license issued by another state (valid or expired);

• U.S. passport;

• Federal employee ID with photo;

• State employee ID with photo (including those issued by state universities);

• U.S. military ID; or

• Gun permit card with a photo.

Student ID cards from state universities are NOT acceptable.

The new law requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote applies only to those voting at polling places. It does not apply to those casting absentee ballots under state law, including those age 65 or older who wish to vote absentee or those voting at licensed nursing homes. 

 During the monthly meeting of the Election Commission Oct. 3 at the Election Offices, The Commission voted to accept a appeal form from voter Patricia Womack who when filling out her voter registration information inadvertently marked that she has been convicted of a felony. Womack filled out the voter appeal request form to correct the information to show that she has never been convicted of a felony. The form was accepted. 

 There will be a Republican primary in March. Dobson stated that the Democratic Party presented a letter which stated that the Democrats would not have a primary. Anyone running in March will be running as a Republican or as an Independent in August.

The Election Office Budget was discussed.  The County Commission voted to approve the budget back last month which meant that a line item of contracted services of $10,000 was cut from the Election Office.  The money budgeted is used to pay Microvote, a company that helps with voting procedures and machines during an election.

Commissioner Matthew Studd says that once he found out about the cut, he went and had talks with County Attorney Mike Corley and County Executive Mike Gannon about funding what was a reasonable budget request.  There is some confusion about what the County Commissioners can cut.  

The State Office however did point out a section in the state code book 21210-4 which states that the Governing Body must fund a reasonable budget.  It was discussed and a motion was made however to move money from the money set aside for the May election since there isn't one and move the money to pay for the Microvote service. The motion passed.

The office is issuing petitions for the offices of Tax Assessor and 3 Road Positions for the March Primary. Paperwork has to be filed by all candidates wishing to run for the offices in the Republican Primary by December 7th.