DA Mulroy Sends Warning Letters Ahead of Early Voting Deadline

Shelby County, TN—As early voting enters its final days and Election Day approaches, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy is urging voters to take a closer look at any sample ballot they receive before casting their vote.

With early voting ending Aug. 1 and campaign activity increasing, DA Mulroy recently sent letters to organizations that may distribute election materials, reminding them that Tennessee law makes it a crime to intentionally deceive voters about the source of a sample ballot. He also urged organizations to clearly distinguish their voter guides from the official sample ballots distributed by the Shelby County Democratic and Republican parties.

The letters come after previous election cycles in which independently produced sample ballots closely resembled official party ballots, creating confusion among voters. In some instances, individuals distributing those ballots have referred to them as the "official" Democratic or Republican ballot, even when they were not affiliated with the local political party.

For example, an organization using a name such as "Memphis Democratic Club" is not affiliated with the Shelby County Democratic Party.  Likewise, using "Memphis" or "Shelby County" with the words "Democratic" or "Republican," along with party logos or similar branding, may cause voters to mistakenly believe the ballot is an official party endorsement.

DA Mulroy encouraged organizations to include clear disclaimers identifying who produced the material and whether it is affiliated with a political party.

“Voters: Don’t be fooled,” said DA Mulroy.  “Just because an endorsement ballot says ‘Official,’ or has a donkey or an elephant, that doesn’t mean it’s an official political party endorsement.  Read the title carefully to make sure you know exactly who’s doing the endorsing.”

“And people who print these ballots—you’re on notice.  Misleading voters is against the law and will be punished.”