WMC-TV: News, Weather, Traffic, Radar, and Sports for Memphis, TN; WMCTV.com | Investigation finds more dead people on voting rolls
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68 dead people are confirmed by the Shelby County Election Commission as having voted between 1994 and 2004.
"You're always irritated that something happens like this. Not all of these happened on my watch. It's doesn't matter doesn't matter if it happened on my or anyone's watch," said commission administrator James Johnson.The investigation uncovered several names, which according to commission records, voted as much as eight and 10 years after federal records show they died.
"I certainly have no idea how any of this could have happened," said Johnson, but election Commissioner Richard Holden says he does.
"It clearly exists as a result of someone committing a felony," said Holden.
John Harvey, a candidate for Shelby County Sheriff, first dug up the deceased voters' records.
Last Friday, Commission Chairman Greg Duckett told Action News Five Harvey's information is often unreliable, but our own investigation shows clearly not in this case.
We asked Commissioner Holden what the board needs to to do now.
"I think the focus that we have to take is greater care in training polling officials," Holden said.
Holden says those officials are charged with verifying all voters are who they say they are to ensure the integrity of elections.
Holden also told weak identification requirements under federal law designed to prevent discrimination could have contributed to the problem.
In the meantime, The commission administrator says he'll recommend that his board turn the results of our investigation over to the Attorney General's office for further investigation.
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