NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Voters and candidates are upset that hundreds of people cast their votes in the wrong races in Davidson County.
As a result, there will be a special called meeting Friday at 4:30 p.m. of the Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections Committee to hear from the election commissioner about the errors.
Democratic State Senate candidate Charlane Oliver is one of the candidates feeling livid that this happened.
“And you mean to tell me that you have one job to do, one job, and you only got to do it three times this year, and you couldn’t get it right?" Oliver said.
Election Administrator Jeff Roberts said nothing can be done to fix it in a full interview with NewsChannel 5, and he told the Associated Press that "mistakes happen."
"And I call bull— on Jeff Roberts," Oliver said. "You’re just going to wash your hands? Get in there and figure it out.”
Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus is outraged too.
"Jeff Roberts, if you can’t lead the election commission, then get the hell out of the way," Remus said.
They feel what happened is voter suppression and gerrymandering.
"I’m pissed. I really am," Oliver said.
This comes after controversial redistricting, which was redrawn by state Republican lawmakers.
On Wednesday, Libby Byler came out to early vote at the Bordeaux library. She feels that redistricting was wrong in the first place.
"I think it’s unfair. I think it’s real calculated," Byler said.
Voter Lori Stratton doesn't think it's fair either.
"You should want everybody’s vote to count, and if your vote doesn’t count, think how would you feel?" Stratton said.
Congressional candidate Odessa Kelly is in one of the impacted districts.
"This is the result of a racist, bigoted, money-hungry Republican legislature who is doing everything to hold power to keep the system rigged against everyday working-class people," Kelly said.
Now, more than ever, they're encouraging people to get out and vote.
"This is your election, this is your district, this is your future,” Kelly said. “I’ll be damned if I let any racist, bigoted election commissioner, the state Republicans, keep me from doing that."
They’re calling for an independent investigation into what happened.
NewsChannel 5 also reached out to Republican Congressman Mark Green who's running against Odessa Kelly.
"I’m shocked and disappointed to hear about the balloting issue in Davidson County," Rep. Green said in a statement. "No one should ever have to worry about whether or not their vote was cast properly. The Davidson County Election Commission needs to fix this immediately. We are closely monitoring the situation.”
