October 21, 2024 • 30 mins
Mrs. Kimbrow talks to Stormy about the nature of the problems at the polls and how to cope.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, hello, good people, Happy weekend to you. I am Stormy.
(00:04):
Thank you for joining me for the polls. Okay, this weekend,
we've got a special guest on the show because election
season is upon us, and I know a lot of
you may have already gone to the polls. You may
have had some adverse experiences, and we don't want that
to happen. Hate it happened to you, we don't want
it to happen to anybody else. So Miss Venisia Kimbro
(00:26):
stopped by from the Shelby County Election Commission to share
some information with us.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
How are you today, I'm well, thank you for the
invitation and opportunity to speak.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Well, no, thank you for coming. How about that?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Absolutely well, Listen, I want to kind of get right
down to it. I've been getting calls from seniors and
emails saying, as a matter of fact, I'll read a
few of them, the emails that I've gotten, but I
want you to kind.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Of tell me what you've heard.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
May be the problems that some are experiencing when they're
going to vote.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Absolutely so, there are a couple of things that are
happening that we are hearing from constituents. So First of all,
I am a Shelby County Election Commissioner, and it is
my job to oversee and the administration of elections.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Our election administrator is Linda Phillips.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
She the team there is what me and four other
commissioners are charged to make sure that they are implementing
voting properly. And so, in my capacity as an election commissioner,
what I've been hearing from some of the constituents is
that when they are standing at a voting machine and
attempting to cast their vote, they're having some difficulties with
(01:41):
the touch screen. Yes that they may try to press
the little boxes next to their candidate's name and it
is toggling between their choice and the other candidates. And
so what I've shared with citizens over the last day
(02:01):
and a half is that we have highly sensitive, brand
new voting equipment. And because many voters don't vote except
in the presidential elections, this is their first time many
of them, this is their first time using this equipment.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
So these are not new machines from the last time
we voted.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
They are they are new machines, but we've used them
now for the past three election cycles.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So okay, I gotta be and I've been voting, so
I've voted on those machines, and I know you have
to be specific with where you're So are you telling
us that maybe we should use a stylist that they
offer us.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Absolutely, okay, And that's what I want to caution our
citizens about. So if you decide that you're going to
use the digital marking machines to cast your vote instead
of a hand marked paper ballot, which is a different
way you can vote, the machines are designed that the
little box on the left is tiny, and the spaces
(03:01):
between two candidates may be close, so if you're pressing
with the full of your finger, you may be touching.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
More than one spot.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
It is better to touch the candidate's name and not
attempt to do the box next to the name.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
If you're going to get.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
A box, you need to use a stylus, which is
a pointing device narrow that you can just hit that box.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
It's kind of like a pencil or you know wood,
you know, yeah, Q.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Tip, pretty much anything that's going to generate a little pressure.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Okay, So please use the stylus. And I'm so glad
you're telling me this, because that is one thing that
maybe people don't know. And I would think some of
the people that are going, you're right, people, maybe this
they haven't voted in a while, and maybe this is
this election is serious to a lot of folks. Well,
it's serious to all of us that's headed to the polls.
(03:57):
And you know, so for some folks that have not
had a chance, and we don't know what their reasons are,
but maybe they couldn't go for whatever reason. And so
now they're going and they're experiencing these things. So I
got a call from a friend. And by the way,
thank you everybody who's tuned into the show. We're talking
about voting Election Commissioner Vnicia Kimbro is here with me today.
(04:18):
Thank you again for coming. I am Stormy. Got a
call from a friend named Rodney. His mother told me
that she and some other ladies went to vote and
specifically what happened to them was they hit one candidate,
it reverted to somebody else. And so in that case,
they said it happened to them several times. So you're
(04:38):
telling me it could be because they did not use
a stylist.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Absolutely, Oftentimes the machines are highly sensitive and the calibration
between the little boxes one to the other is very close.
So if you touch the screen, if you slot your finger,
if you don't use the teeny tip top of your finger,
especially women that have nails, you know, you're using your
(05:05):
flat part of your fingers, not touching with the tips
of your finger, and the device is just so sensitive
that it will toggle between. But what we have tested
over and over again is that if you use a stylust,
and we've asked several of the voters that may have
started out having problems they requested a stylust. I have
some testimony where I've been speaking back and forth with
(05:28):
voters that may have had that initial issue, but once
they got the stylus, they didn't have any problem.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Okay, that error did not occur.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
And so we are strongly encouraging our citizens that if
you're going to use the digital.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Devices, use a stylust. Let me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
For an elderly person or somebody who's disabled that needs
some help, if I were taking them to the polls,
is it possible for me to go help them or
will they even let me do that.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Absolutely, every citizen that needs assistance is entitled to.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Have a system.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Okay, Okay, so it's not just elderly, it's any voter,
because you know, we have some that may have visual
impairments to have some that may have cognitive issues where
they need help. Yeah, and some may have literacy issues
even and so anyone that thinks they need help, they
are entitled to have someone to assist them.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
And I asked that question because last year I took
two of my relatives to vote. We all went to
the polling place in Whitehaven on Rain's Road at the church.
And I had gone to vote, and I went home,
picked up somebody and took them to vote. And I
(06:39):
went home picked up somebody else, but took them to vote,
and they needed my help.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I went to help.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
But the last time I tried to help the young
they told me I couldn't do that.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And that's absolutely incorrect information. And so what we tell
our citizens, and I want to reiterate this is never
leave the poet in place. You know, I've come up
with this little mantra that you stay and you fight
for your right to vote. You stand your like that
stand your ground, and you stay at the place. The
second thing you should do is ask for a supervisor.
(07:14):
Right if the polling staff is giving information that you
feel is not correct or is improper. You ask for
a supervisor. If that supervisor cannot get resolution for you,
you still don't leave. You then ask for the administrator
to be called, or you dial your election commissioner's number,
which is not a one eight seven zero seven nine
(07:35):
six five. Okay, by all means, do not leave the
polling place, and we ask you to document.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I want to know the name. Come on here, document.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
We need to know the name of the worker that
may be dispelling in corrector and proper information.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Give me that number again.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It's nine zero one eight seven zero seven nine six five.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Now I want to read another email to you, this
one Miss Shelby. Mary Shelby emailed me several times to
tell me her experiences at the polling place and I
can't get to well, maybe this is it her first email. Well,
I won't get to the first one, but I will
go to this one. Basically, she said she went to vote,
(08:16):
and she said she was talking about the amendments.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Okay, now, she said.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
The amendments were supposed to be laminated and passed out,
or at least that's what she thought. So you could
before you get up there to vote, that you were
supposed to get the amendments on a laminated thing so
that you can make your decision before you get up there.
Is that how that works or is it placed somewhere
for you to look at it?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
It is. The simple ballot is placed on the walls
in the voting locations, so there's not a handout or
a pass around that's available at the polling place. However,
the entire sample ballot is available on our Shelby vote
dot org website.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And I keep telling people that to go to that
and get all the information that they need.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
It is available. I've published it on my page. I
know it's published on our social media pages. The Daily
Memphian has published it. Several of our elected officials have
published the ballance. So and what I will say is
that if a cause we've published it on our social media.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Go there.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
If they need assistance, step out of line, ask for
assistance to be directed to where the sample ballad is,
read it, and then get back in line. So they
are there at the location.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
But it's nothing that we're allowed to pass out. Okay, well,
let me ask you this. What is it?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I'm hearing too yesterday, listeners were calling me or this
this past week and saying that they were being rushed
to vote it.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Absolutely, not absolutely.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
They said something about the machine timing out.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
The machines are not designed to time out. A voter
can have however long they need. Are you serious, I
am absolutely serious. There's no you have fifteen minutes to
cast your vote.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
No.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
We understand that the understanding level physical ability cognitive ability
of our citizens are different. Right, we have all kinds
of accommodations, while for our seniors or are disabled, you
can sit and take your time. All of the machines
or all of the pulling locations are equipped with handicapped
(10:30):
accessible machines where they lower and or the machine itself
can be placed on a table, and our seniors and
or disabled handy abled can sit at a table and
take their time.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
If you're standing.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
There at the machine and it's your time to vote,
whatever amount of time you need, you should not be
approached by an election or a poll worker telling you
that you need to hurry up, your time has run out.
There is no such thing as my time has run out.
So citizens can take their time study the ballot, be
fully informed about the ballot. And I'll stress again that
(11:05):
you stand your ground, You document the situation.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Of what's going on.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
You want to know who it is that's telling you
improper information or approaching you on an m professional.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So take their name down.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
If it's possible, take your names down. It should always
be possible. And I say that one should have a
name tag on.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yeah, And I say that because everybody didn't have a
pen and piece of paper when they're going to vote.
But if you if you have maybe your cell phone
and you have notes in your cell phone, you can
or you can text somebody the name or whatever. That
way you can, you know, keep track of who it
was you spoke to, or call the election commission immediately.
Maybe you need to get the number and have it
(11:44):
on hand when.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
You go, that's right.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Or if they ask for a supervisor, ask for a supermen,
you can absolutely get resolution. That supervisor should be able
to accommodate and answer. Ninety nine point five percent of
the queries that come up. Our supervisor are trained, they's seasoned,
they've been through this process several times. In addition to that,
the administration has packed bends in very detailed and explicit
(12:13):
instructions about absolutely most things that come up at an
election polling place, they answer is there with them if
they just read that information and if for some reason
they're not familiar. We have a helpline that's open prior
to the polls actually opening up until well after the
official time for poll closed, and it's open until the
(12:37):
very last voter has cast their ballot.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
And what is the helpline number.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
I need to get the helpline number for you, Stormy,
but in the meantime, it's Shelby County Election Commission. Let
me just look it up here. It's our Nixon location
if they dow that number.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
And you can always go to Shelby vote dot com
to find the number, sure, or you can go to
the election commission their website, which is I think both
are just saying dot or Shelby vote dot org and
you can get that information and have it handy before
you vote.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Now. I know this may be kind of last minute
for some.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
People, you know, because you've already voted, and you've already
had some issues, and you know, but this is going
to help you out because some of the things that
I've mentioned to you are some of the issues that
people have had when they go and try to cast
their vote. And I want to make sure that our seniors,
if you haven't voted already, if you haven't voted and
(13:40):
you are getting ready to do that, I want to
make sure that they know what to do.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
You know what I'm saying. And here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
It's not just seniors, it's the rest of us too,
that's right. We want to know what to expect when
we get there as well.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
So that phone number to our elections operations center is
notin on one two two two twelve hundred.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Nine one two to two twelve hundred, okay.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
That is the helpline, that is our operations center, and
someone's there to direct their call.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Are they there twenty four to seven?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
They are there during election hours, okay, nine oh one
two two two twelve hundred.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Okay, so uh.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
And then the Shelby County Election Commissioner's number, if we
wanted to call Miss Phillips.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That is the same number.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Same number, Okay, same number. Because Miss Shelby says she
reached out to Miss Phillips, she did say she got
a return call from Miss Phillips as well, So that
was good.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
It was good to know that you guys are on
it and you.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
And somebody asked me to again if you're just joining
us for the show, I'm stormy. It is the Pulse,
and Shelby County Election Commissioner Venisia Kimbrow is.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Here with me. Somebody asked me too about poll watchers.
Is that still a thing?
Speaker 2 (14:51):
It absolutely is a thing, and so we encourage citizens
to be engaged. It pays a decent living wage for
those to ferary part time employees. And so if someone
is interested, please do come by and fill out an
election poll watch your application and it's also available online.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
And that actually is a wonderful job for our young adults.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
We spent an incredible amount of time this past election
off season going into our high schools and speaking with
our students, and this cycle we will have a record
number of high school students working in both polling places.
I love that Operation Center and pavenings after school.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
I love that because young people are really getting involved
in what's happening as far as voting is concerned. They're
really getting involved, and I love that. So I did
get a message. This message came from Miss Bonnie Burris.
She said, I am a WD I a listener, and
she said, I've been listening forever. Just left the polls
(16:00):
so upset as I had a difficult time casting my vote,
and the poll watcher my initial attempt to vote reverted,
says she tried again. The pole watcher became agitated when
I addressed this with her. So when the name came
up again, you know, it worked for but the the
(16:23):
same with other selections. She said, it kept reverting. And
so are you thinking that maybe it's the styluss issue.
In that case, it's the styliss issue.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And so what I'd encourage voters again to do instead
of trying to press, if you're going to use your hands,
don't try to press the box. The whole screen is interactive.
Press your candidate's actual name. It is a much larger space.
Ser is a lot less than trying to press the small,
(16:53):
tiny box if you just simply select their name. And
you can always, always, always opt for a handmarked paper ballot,
and we assure that citizens have the option of using
a handmarked ballot in case there are difficulties. So there
should be no instance where a voter can't cast their vote,
and you can always change. So if you're at the machine,
(17:16):
and you find it difficult and you can't use the
machines for whatever reason it's giving you a hard time,
you simply call over for assistance and tell them that
you want to use the handmarked paper ballot instead, and
they will then redirect you to the handmarked paper ballot
station to get you that type and spoil that initial
(17:39):
digital ballot and give you the proper one as long
as you haven't cast that push that button cast vote
now button. It's your vote remains in your hands until
you do that, and after that it belongs to the people.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
If you will.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Okay, Now, this was another issue I was told about,
and this was from Rodney's mother. She said that I
believe it was her. I've been hearing so many stories.
It may have been from a listener that called in.
But at any rate, they mentioned that someone with them
casted a ballot and when they printed the paper it
(18:18):
did not have their candidate's name on it and had
someone else's name on it. Is it too late at
that point?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
No, it's not too late until you actually scan that
ballat in to the box. Oh okay, information is wrong,
and it sounds like they may have had a hand
marked ballot and you put the hand marked ballad in
and then it gives you a digital form to print
out and then you cast that into the depository after that.
(18:49):
And so if you find an error, it should be documented.
That's when you want help, and that's when you want
a supervisor to intercede at that point. But absolutely, if
it it's an error, you need to document it and
stop there and demand for it to be corrected.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Don't cast a ballot that you know is wrong. If
it has an error on it, you have to let
us know just once you deposit it again.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
It's not retrievable at that point, okay.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
And casting for those of you that haven't been for
a while and you're planning to go, that's just when
you're getting ready to push that piece of paper into
the machine, as you get ready to walk out, that
is correct, okay, And that's over, because that's when you're done.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
You're like, you're done, you're out, you're done, and it's
too late after that, it's too late. After that, there's
nothing we can do to retrieve or reverse or reverse. Absolutely,
but you can always file a complaint and we'll do
the research that's necessary. At that point to try to
get a determination based upon time and place. But you know,
(19:51):
the balloting process is secret for a reason, and so
we can't tie a specific voter to a cast back.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
It's a secret process. So I figured that we lease
do have some help before you get to that step.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Yeah, it's it's an interesting, I guess season for a
lot of us because we're going out to vote, and
like I said, many people had issues. And I think
many of the people that had issues were, you know,
elderly and maybe not elderly, but those were the, like
I said, the most people that I heard from.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
And it's the technology stormy, you know, and it's not
always easy and it's not always intuitive, right, yeah, And
so that's why we have helpers at the help desk
that's right there on site. You have your poll workers
that are there to assist, You have your supervisors there
to assist.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
So I like to describe the process like this.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
So if you're in a store, right you have customer
service people, and then you have corporate headquarters. If you
don't get satisfact with the customer service and or managers,
who do you call? You then call home office, you
call corporates and so you're the store is the polling
location in the in the store, you then have poll
(21:12):
workers and other individuals there to help you facilitate your
casting your ballot.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
They're at the site.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And if that doesn't work out, you call corporate, which
means calling your commissioners. You can call me, uh and
you can call Linda Phillips.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Okay, we can call you too. You can call me.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
That's that first number I gave nine on one eight
seven oh seven nine six five. Okay, nine one eight
seven o seven nine sixty five. And let me tell
our constituents to please do texts because I need factual data.
I need your name, I need what polling location you're
at when you're having the problem.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I need to know the parties that are involved in that.
You have not left the polling location.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
If you're simply giving me a report of something, it's
five if you've left. But if you have an issue,
it's best to call or text me.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
While you're there. Give me that number one more time, nine.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Zero one eight seven zero seven nine six five. Okay,
so they can text that number anytime. Okay, I got it,
because honey, I'm going I'm actually glad I haven't I
wanted to go day one, but I'm actually glad I
hadn't gone, and I've heard some of the issues, and then,
you know, I want to read up on the referendums
(22:26):
as well and make sure that when I go and man,
just know everything else that's on the ballot, because a
lot of times, unfortunately, let me speak for myself, I've
shown up to vote and I'm looking at and I'm like,
when they get on here, I didn't know this was
gonna be on here, and I don't even know these people,
(22:47):
you know what I'm saying, And this like a guessing.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Game, ay meenie miney oh.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
And I don't want to ever go back to the
polls like that, because sometimes you don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
The best way to know, for any of us to know,
is to go look at a sample ballot.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Am I correct, absolutely, it has all the information laid
out nice and neat. And I'll also say that we
have so many wonderful community organizations that are out there
helping educate the public. You know, attend the voter forms,
attend the training sessions, go to your community sessions where
they are doing town halls and the candidates are appearing
(23:24):
so that you can know the policies that the people
are supporting, so that you know that you're casting your
conscience right, you're casting your vote for the person that
best fits your interests. And create yourself a voting plan.
Don't be haphazard about it that a voting plan, plan
(23:44):
to vote. The most important thing that I'd like to
share about early voting is that it's the best time
to vote because it's so convenient. You can vote at
any early voting location, any any voting.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Locations, so it's most convenient.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
But on election day, you know it's going to be
more crowded and you have to vote at your designated
polling location. You don't have the luxury of going to
any polling location. And so early voting started three days
ago and it's going to run through Halloween, October thirty first,
And as long as you're in line before the polling
(24:22):
place closes, you have a right to stay and cast
your vote. As long as you're in line before the
closing time of a polling place, the polling place must
remain open until the last.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Ballot is cast. Yeah, and you don't want it to
be a Halloween for you and you don't go vote
at all. Absolutely okay, And I would rather if I
were you. And this is why I go vote. I
go vote because I would rather vote for myself than
let other.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Folks vote for me.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
That's all right, because if I don't vote, that's really
allowing other people to cast their ballots for me, because
whoever they elect is gonna serve me too.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
That's the policymakers, that's right. Yeah, and they're gonna make
policies based upon what the people that vote. Yep, right,
policies aren't made based upon the people that don't vote.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
So don't sit at home. Don't think that this is
a time to do that. And it doesn't Your vote
doesn't matter or doesn't count. You saw for those of
us that live in Shelby County, y'all saw the mayor's election.
Now that election should let you know how serious it
is and how important it is for you to get.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Out and vote.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
That's right, every vote counts. We had so many seats
won with less than thirty votes. Spoke with one of
our city council persons, Pearl Walker, and her vote was
decided by fourteen voters. Wow, she was successful in achieving
her seat with a mere fourteen wowsons voting.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
That's how okay, people, That's how serious it is. It is.
It's serious in these streets and at the polls. Very serious.
So if I were you, let me just encourage you
to implore you to get out and vote. Let me
(26:19):
just do that. How about that?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
And then you make that decision and be an informed
voter by going to Shelby vote dot org to find
out what's on there and what's on the ballot before
you get there. That way, you can zip in there
and zip out. And I've talked to a few people
that told me they were at particular polling places and
they zipped in and zipped out. So that may be
another thing for people to do. Maybe do some research
(26:41):
about where you know the polling places are that you
can go to for early voting and find one that
you think you know will be light that day and
go because some of them have been. Oh I heard
Mississipi Boulevard was packed. I heard Atop was packed. So
people are definitely getting out there to some of these
(27:02):
locations and they're voting and they're exercising their you know,
civil duties or their right rather to vote.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
And we're so excited record number voters. This has been
record setting even so far. So far, Wow, our early
voting has outpaced the past two election cycles significantly. Okay,
what about the last four years? Yes, even the last
four years. Wow, it's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Y'all going to the post. I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Okay, I am stormy. It is the pulse. Venetia kimbro
is here with us today. She's a Shelby County election commissioner.
She stopped through to share this valuable information. We've got
a few more minutes left and we're gonna have to
get out of here, but I just want to say
thank you for coming. Is there anything you want to
share before you go?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Absolutely, I'm going to encourage our citizens to please to
get out and exercise your right to vote. Not only
do you take your sales, but you take your friends,
your families, and your neighbors especially.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Absolutely, just like you.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
And I checked to before I took them. I said,
are you registered? And they said yes, and I was
just I don't know. That was one of the most
proud feelings I've ever had, taken somebody to the polls
to vote that may have voted for their first time.
My friend's my cousin's son. It may have been his
(28:27):
first time voting.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Yes, go get these children, these grandchildren that live in
the house that may not have voted. An don't go
to the polls and leave grandson at home. Make sure
she or she goes to because if you take just
a few minutes and I'll say that again, even an
hour out of your day two if you have to.
(28:51):
But that vote could be a lifetime changed for generations
and generations to come. We know that the policy that
are made based upon who we elect are for significantly.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Long periods of time.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
You have Supreme Court appointments that the presidential candidates make.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
That are for a lifetime.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Yeah, right, So many things, how our schools are funded,
how our roads are repaired. Basically, your bills, everything, your
phone bill, your life, build everything, everything, Yeah, is based
upon the policies that elected officials enforce and implement. And
your vote decides who speaking.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
For you when you vote, when you vote.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Because it don't work if you don't work it, that's right,
it will work, but it would be better if you
were part of the process. So be a part of
the process. Don't sit this out, don't do it. Okay,
Thank you again. Shelby County Election Commissioner of Anisia Kimbro.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Thank you again. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
Yeah it's no, oh yeah, it's a blessing to have
you here. I appreciate it. I am stormy. It is
the pulse.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
We keep our fingertips on the pulse of our community.
Thank you for joining us. Have yourself a great week.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
God bless you. We'll see you next week, same time,
same station.
Well, hello, good people, Happy weekend to you. I am Stormy.
(00:04):
Thank you for joining me for the polls. Okay, this weekend,
we've got a special guest on the show because election
season is upon us, and I know a lot of
you may have already gone to the polls. You may
have had some adverse experiences, and we don't want that
to happen. Hate it happened to you, we don't want
it to happen to anybody else. So Miss Venisia Kimbro
(00:26):
stopped by from the Shelby County Election Commission to share
some information with us.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
How are you today, I'm well, thank you for the
invitation and opportunity to speak.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Well, no, thank you for coming. How about that?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Absolutely well, Listen, I want to kind of get right
down to it. I've been getting calls from seniors and
emails saying, as a matter of fact, I'll read a
few of them, the emails that I've gotten, but I
want you to kind.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Of tell me what you've heard.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
May be the problems that some are experiencing when they're
going to vote.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Absolutely so, there are a couple of things that are
happening that we are hearing from constituents. So First of all,
I am a Shelby County Election Commissioner, and it is
my job to oversee and the administration of elections.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Our election administrator is Linda Phillips.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
She the team there is what me and four other
commissioners are charged to make sure that they are implementing
voting properly. And so, in my capacity as an election commissioner,
what I've been hearing from some of the constituents is
that when they are standing at a voting machine and
attempting to cast their vote, they're having some difficulties with
(01:41):
the touch screen. Yes that they may try to press
the little boxes next to their candidate's name and it
is toggling between their choice and the other candidates. And
so what I've shared with citizens over the last day
(02:01):
and a half is that we have highly sensitive, brand
new voting equipment. And because many voters don't vote except
in the presidential elections, this is their first time many
of them, this is their first time using this equipment.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
So these are not new machines from the last time
we voted.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
They are they are new machines, but we've used them
now for the past three election cycles.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So okay, I gotta be and I've been voting, so
I've voted on those machines, and I know you have
to be specific with where you're So are you telling
us that maybe we should use a stylist that they
offer us.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Absolutely, okay, And that's what I want to caution our
citizens about. So if you decide that you're going to
use the digital marking machines to cast your vote instead
of a hand marked paper ballot, which is a different
way you can vote, the machines are designed that the
little box on the left is tiny, and the spaces
(03:01):
between two candidates may be close, so if you're pressing
with the full of your finger, you may be touching.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
More than one spot.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
It is better to touch the candidate's name and not
attempt to do the box next to the name.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
If you're going to get.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
A box, you need to use a stylus, which is
a pointing device narrow that you can just hit that box.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
It's kind of like a pencil or you know wood,
you know, yeah, Q.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Tip, pretty much anything that's going to generate a little pressure.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Okay, So please use the stylus. And I'm so glad
you're telling me this, because that is one thing that
maybe people don't know. And I would think some of
the people that are going, you're right, people, maybe this
they haven't voted in a while, and maybe this is
this election is serious to a lot of folks. Well,
it's serious to all of us that's headed to the polls.
(03:57):
And you know, so for some folks that have not
had a chance, and we don't know what their reasons are,
but maybe they couldn't go for whatever reason. And so
now they're going and they're experiencing these things. So I
got a call from a friend. And by the way,
thank you everybody who's tuned into the show. We're talking
about voting Election Commissioner Vnicia Kimbro is here with me today.
(04:18):
Thank you again for coming. I am Stormy. Got a
call from a friend named Rodney. His mother told me
that she and some other ladies went to vote and
specifically what happened to them was they hit one candidate,
it reverted to somebody else. And so in that case,
they said it happened to them several times. So you're
(04:38):
telling me it could be because they did not use
a stylist.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Absolutely, Oftentimes the machines are highly sensitive and the calibration
between the little boxes one to the other is very close.
So if you touch the screen, if you slot your finger,
if you don't use the teeny tip top of your finger,
especially women that have nails, you know, you're using your
(05:05):
flat part of your fingers, not touching with the tips
of your finger, and the device is just so sensitive
that it will toggle between. But what we have tested
over and over again is that if you use a stylust,
and we've asked several of the voters that may have
started out having problems they requested a stylust. I have
some testimony where I've been speaking back and forth with
(05:28):
voters that may have had that initial issue, but once
they got the stylus, they didn't have any problem.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Okay, that error did not occur.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
And so we are strongly encouraging our citizens that if
you're going to use the digital.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Devices, use a stylust. Let me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
For an elderly person or somebody who's disabled that needs
some help, if I were taking them to the polls,
is it possible for me to go help them or
will they even let me do that.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Absolutely, every citizen that needs assistance is entitled to.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Have a system.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Okay, Okay, so it's not just elderly, it's any voter,
because you know, we have some that may have visual
impairments to have some that may have cognitive issues where
they need help. Yeah, and some may have literacy issues
even and so anyone that thinks they need help, they
are entitled to have someone to assist them.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
And I asked that question because last year I took
two of my relatives to vote. We all went to
the polling place in Whitehaven on Rain's Road at the church.
And I had gone to vote, and I went home,
picked up somebody and took them to vote. And I
(06:39):
went home picked up somebody else, but took them to vote,
and they needed my help.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I went to help.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
But the last time I tried to help the young
they told me I couldn't do that.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And that's absolutely incorrect information. And so what we tell
our citizens, and I want to reiterate this is never
leave the poet in place. You know, I've come up
with this little mantra that you stay and you fight
for your right to vote. You stand your like that
stand your ground, and you stay at the place. The
second thing you should do is ask for a supervisor.
(07:14):
Right if the polling staff is giving information that you
feel is not correct or is improper. You ask for
a supervisor. If that supervisor cannot get resolution for you,
you still don't leave. You then ask for the administrator
to be called, or you dial your election commissioner's number,
which is not a one eight seven zero seven nine
(07:35):
six five. Okay, by all means, do not leave the
polling place, and we ask you to document.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I want to know the name. Come on here, document.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
We need to know the name of the worker that
may be dispelling in corrector and proper information.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Give me that number again.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It's nine zero one eight seven zero seven nine six five.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Now I want to read another email to you, this
one Miss Shelby. Mary Shelby emailed me several times to
tell me her experiences at the polling place and I
can't get to well, maybe this is it her first email. Well,
I won't get to the first one, but I will
go to this one. Basically, she said she went to vote,
(08:16):
and she said she was talking about the amendments.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Okay, now, she said.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
The amendments were supposed to be laminated and passed out,
or at least that's what she thought. So you could
before you get up there to vote, that you were
supposed to get the amendments on a laminated thing so
that you can make your decision before you get up there.
Is that how that works or is it placed somewhere
for you to look at it?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
It is. The simple ballot is placed on the walls
in the voting locations, so there's not a handout or
a pass around that's available at the polling place. However,
the entire sample ballot is available on our Shelby vote
dot org website.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And I keep telling people that to go to that
and get all the information that they need.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
It is available. I've published it on my page. I
know it's published on our social media pages. The Daily
Memphian has published it. Several of our elected officials have
published the ballance. So and what I will say is
that if a cause we've published it on our social media.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Go there.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
If they need assistance, step out of line, ask for
assistance to be directed to where the sample ballad is,
read it, and then get back in line. So they
are there at the location.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
But it's nothing that we're allowed to pass out. Okay, well,
let me ask you this. What is it?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I'm hearing too yesterday, listeners were calling me or this
this past week and saying that they were being rushed
to vote it.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Absolutely, not absolutely.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
They said something about the machine timing out.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
The machines are not designed to time out. A voter
can have however long they need. Are you serious, I
am absolutely serious. There's no you have fifteen minutes to
cast your vote.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
No.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
We understand that the understanding level physical ability cognitive ability
of our citizens are different. Right, we have all kinds
of accommodations, while for our seniors or are disabled, you
can sit and take your time. All of the machines
or all of the pulling locations are equipped with handicapped
(10:30):
accessible machines where they lower and or the machine itself
can be placed on a table, and our seniors and
or disabled handy abled can sit at a table and
take their time.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
If you're standing.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
There at the machine and it's your time to vote,
whatever amount of time you need, you should not be
approached by an election or a poll worker telling you
that you need to hurry up, your time has run out.
There is no such thing as my time has run out.
So citizens can take their time study the ballot, be
fully informed about the ballot. And I'll stress again that
(11:05):
you stand your ground, You document the situation.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Of what's going on.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
You want to know who it is that's telling you
improper information or approaching you on an m professional.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So take their name down.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
If it's possible, take your names down. It should always
be possible. And I say that one should have a
name tag on.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yeah, And I say that because everybody didn't have a
pen and piece of paper when they're going to vote.
But if you if you have maybe your cell phone
and you have notes in your cell phone, you can
or you can text somebody the name or whatever. That
way you can, you know, keep track of who it
was you spoke to, or call the election commission immediately.
Maybe you need to get the number and have it
(11:44):
on hand when.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
You go, that's right.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Or if they ask for a supervisor, ask for a supermen,
you can absolutely get resolution. That supervisor should be able
to accommodate and answer. Ninety nine point five percent of
the queries that come up. Our supervisor are trained, they's seasoned,
they've been through this process several times. In addition to that,
the administration has packed bends in very detailed and explicit
(12:13):
instructions about absolutely most things that come up at an
election polling place, they answer is there with them if
they just read that information and if for some reason
they're not familiar. We have a helpline that's open prior
to the polls actually opening up until well after the
official time for poll closed, and it's open until the
(12:37):
very last voter has cast their ballot.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
And what is the helpline number.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
I need to get the helpline number for you, Stormy,
but in the meantime, it's Shelby County Election Commission. Let
me just look it up here. It's our Nixon location
if they dow that number.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
And you can always go to Shelby vote dot com
to find the number, sure, or you can go to
the election commission their website, which is I think both
are just saying dot or Shelby vote dot org and
you can get that information and have it handy before
you vote.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Now. I know this may be kind of last minute
for some.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
People, you know, because you've already voted, and you've already
had some issues, and you know, but this is going
to help you out because some of the things that
I've mentioned to you are some of the issues that
people have had when they go and try to cast
their vote. And I want to make sure that our seniors,
if you haven't voted already, if you haven't voted and
(13:40):
you are getting ready to do that, I want to
make sure that they know what to do.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
You know what I'm saying. And here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
It's not just seniors, it's the rest of us too,
that's right. We want to know what to expect when
we get there as well.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
So that phone number to our elections operations center is
notin on one two two two twelve hundred.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Nine one two to two twelve hundred, okay.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
That is the helpline, that is our operations center, and
someone's there to direct their call.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Are they there twenty four to seven?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
They are there during election hours, okay, nine oh one
two two two twelve hundred.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Okay, so uh.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
And then the Shelby County Election Commissioner's number, if we
wanted to call Miss Phillips.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That is the same number.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Same number, Okay, same number. Because Miss Shelby says she
reached out to Miss Phillips, she did say she got
a return call from Miss Phillips as well, So that
was good.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
It was good to know that you guys are on
it and you.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
And somebody asked me to again if you're just joining
us for the show, I'm stormy. It is the Pulse,
and Shelby County Election Commissioner Venisia Kimbrow is.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Here with me. Somebody asked me too about poll watchers.
Is that still a thing?
Speaker 2 (14:51):
It absolutely is a thing, and so we encourage citizens
to be engaged. It pays a decent living wage for
those to ferary part time employees. And so if someone
is interested, please do come by and fill out an
election poll watch your application and it's also available online.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
And that actually is a wonderful job for our young adults.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
We spent an incredible amount of time this past election
off season going into our high schools and speaking with
our students, and this cycle we will have a record
number of high school students working in both polling places.
I love that Operation Center and pavenings after school.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
I love that because young people are really getting involved
in what's happening as far as voting is concerned. They're
really getting involved, and I love that. So I did
get a message. This message came from Miss Bonnie Burris.
She said, I am a WD I a listener, and
she said, I've been listening forever. Just left the polls
(16:00):
so upset as I had a difficult time casting my vote,
and the poll watcher my initial attempt to vote reverted,
says she tried again. The pole watcher became agitated when
I addressed this with her. So when the name came
up again, you know, it worked for but the the
(16:23):
same with other selections. She said, it kept reverting. And
so are you thinking that maybe it's the styluss issue.
In that case, it's the styliss issue.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And so what I'd encourage voters again to do instead
of trying to press, if you're going to use your hands,
don't try to press the box. The whole screen is interactive.
Press your candidate's actual name. It is a much larger space.
Ser is a lot less than trying to press the small,
(16:53):
tiny box if you just simply select their name. And
you can always, always, always opt for a handmarked paper ballot,
and we assure that citizens have the option of using
a handmarked ballot in case there are difficulties. So there
should be no instance where a voter can't cast their vote,
and you can always change. So if you're at the machine,
(17:16):
and you find it difficult and you can't use the
machines for whatever reason it's giving you a hard time,
you simply call over for assistance and tell them that
you want to use the handmarked paper ballot instead, and
they will then redirect you to the handmarked paper ballot
station to get you that type and spoil that initial
(17:39):
digital ballot and give you the proper one as long
as you haven't cast that push that button cast vote
now button. It's your vote remains in your hands until
you do that, and after that it belongs to the people.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
If you will.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Okay, Now, this was another issue I was told about,
and this was from Rodney's mother. She said that I
believe it was her. I've been hearing so many stories.
It may have been from a listener that called in.
But at any rate, they mentioned that someone with them
casted a ballot and when they printed the paper it
(18:18):
did not have their candidate's name on it and had
someone else's name on it. Is it too late at
that point?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
No, it's not too late until you actually scan that
ballat in to the box. Oh okay, information is wrong,
and it sounds like they may have had a hand
marked ballot and you put the hand marked ballad in
and then it gives you a digital form to print
out and then you cast that into the depository after that.
(18:49):
And so if you find an error, it should be documented.
That's when you want help, and that's when you want
a supervisor to intercede at that point. But absolutely, if
it it's an error, you need to document it and
stop there and demand for it to be corrected.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Don't cast a ballot that you know is wrong. If
it has an error on it, you have to let
us know just once you deposit it again.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
It's not retrievable at that point, okay.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
And casting for those of you that haven't been for
a while and you're planning to go, that's just when
you're getting ready to push that piece of paper into
the machine, as you get ready to walk out, that
is correct, okay, And that's over, because that's when you're done.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
You're like, you're done, you're out, you're done, and it's
too late after that, it's too late. After that, there's
nothing we can do to retrieve or reverse or reverse. Absolutely,
but you can always file a complaint and we'll do
the research that's necessary. At that point to try to
get a determination based upon time and place. But you know,
(19:51):
the balloting process is secret for a reason, and so
we can't tie a specific voter to a cast back.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
It's a secret process. So I figured that we lease
do have some help before you get to that step.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Yeah, it's it's an interesting, I guess season for a
lot of us because we're going out to vote, and
like I said, many people had issues. And I think
many of the people that had issues were, you know,
elderly and maybe not elderly, but those were the, like
I said, the most people that I heard from.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
And it's the technology stormy, you know, and it's not
always easy and it's not always intuitive, right, yeah, And
so that's why we have helpers at the help desk
that's right there on site. You have your poll workers
that are there to assist, You have your supervisors there
to assist.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
So I like to describe the process like this.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
So if you're in a store, right you have customer
service people, and then you have corporate headquarters. If you
don't get satisfact with the customer service and or managers,
who do you call? You then call home office, you
call corporates and so you're the store is the polling
location in the in the store, you then have poll
(21:12):
workers and other individuals there to help you facilitate your
casting your ballot.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
They're at the site.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And if that doesn't work out, you call corporate, which
means calling your commissioners. You can call me, uh and
you can call Linda Phillips.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Okay, we can call you too. You can call me.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
That's that first number I gave nine on one eight
seven oh seven nine six five. Okay, nine one eight
seven o seven nine sixty five. And let me tell
our constituents to please do texts because I need factual data.
I need your name, I need what polling location you're
at when you're having the problem.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
I need to know the parties that are involved in that.
You have not left the polling location.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
If you're simply giving me a report of something, it's
five if you've left. But if you have an issue,
it's best to call or text me.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
While you're there. Give me that number one more time, nine.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Zero one eight seven zero seven nine six five. Okay,
so they can text that number anytime. Okay, I got it,
because honey, I'm going I'm actually glad I haven't I
wanted to go day one, but I'm actually glad I
hadn't gone, and I've heard some of the issues, and then,
you know, I want to read up on the referendums
(22:26):
as well and make sure that when I go and man,
just know everything else that's on the ballot, because a
lot of times, unfortunately, let me speak for myself, I've
shown up to vote and I'm looking at and I'm like,
when they get on here, I didn't know this was
gonna be on here, and I don't even know these people,
(22:47):
you know what I'm saying, And this like a guessing.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Game, ay meenie miney oh.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
And I don't want to ever go back to the
polls like that, because sometimes you don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
The best way to know, for any of us to know,
is to go look at a sample ballot.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Am I correct, absolutely, it has all the information laid
out nice and neat. And I'll also say that we
have so many wonderful community organizations that are out there
helping educate the public. You know, attend the voter forms,
attend the training sessions, go to your community sessions where
they are doing town halls and the candidates are appearing
(23:24):
so that you can know the policies that the people
are supporting, so that you know that you're casting your
conscience right, you're casting your vote for the person that
best fits your interests. And create yourself a voting plan.
Don't be haphazard about it that a voting plan, plan
(23:44):
to vote. The most important thing that I'd like to
share about early voting is that it's the best time
to vote because it's so convenient. You can vote at
any early voting location, any any voting.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Locations, so it's most convenient.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
But on election day, you know it's going to be
more crowded and you have to vote at your designated
polling location. You don't have the luxury of going to
any polling location. And so early voting started three days
ago and it's going to run through Halloween, October thirty first,
And as long as you're in line before the polling
(24:22):
place closes, you have a right to stay and cast
your vote. As long as you're in line before the
closing time of a polling place, the polling place must
remain open until the last.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Ballot is cast. Yeah, and you don't want it to
be a Halloween for you and you don't go vote
at all. Absolutely okay, And I would rather if I
were you. And this is why I go vote. I
go vote because I would rather vote for myself than
let other.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Folks vote for me.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
That's all right, because if I don't vote, that's really
allowing other people to cast their ballots for me, because
whoever they elect is gonna serve me too.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
That's the policymakers, that's right. Yeah, and they're gonna make
policies based upon what the people that vote. Yep, right,
policies aren't made based upon the people that don't vote.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
So don't sit at home. Don't think that this is
a time to do that. And it doesn't Your vote
doesn't matter or doesn't count. You saw for those of
us that live in Shelby County, y'all saw the mayor's election.
Now that election should let you know how serious it
is and how important it is for you to get.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Out and vote.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
That's right, every vote counts. We had so many seats
won with less than thirty votes. Spoke with one of
our city council persons, Pearl Walker, and her vote was
decided by fourteen voters. Wow, she was successful in achieving
her seat with a mere fourteen wowsons voting.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
That's how okay, people, That's how serious it is. It is.
It's serious in these streets and at the polls. Very serious.
So if I were you, let me just encourage you
to implore you to get out and vote. Let me
(26:19):
just do that. How about that?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
And then you make that decision and be an informed
voter by going to Shelby vote dot org to find
out what's on there and what's on the ballot before
you get there. That way, you can zip in there
and zip out. And I've talked to a few people
that told me they were at particular polling places and
they zipped in and zipped out. So that may be
another thing for people to do. Maybe do some research
(26:41):
about where you know the polling places are that you
can go to for early voting and find one that
you think you know will be light that day and
go because some of them have been. Oh I heard
Mississipi Boulevard was packed. I heard Atop was packed. So
people are definitely getting out there to some of these
(27:02):
locations and they're voting and they're exercising their you know,
civil duties or their right rather to vote.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
And we're so excited record number voters. This has been
record setting even so far. So far, Wow, our early
voting has outpaced the past two election cycles significantly. Okay,
what about the last four years? Yes, even the last
four years. Wow, it's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Y'all going to the post. I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Okay, I am stormy. It is the pulse. Venetia kimbro
is here with us today. She's a Shelby County election commissioner.
She stopped through to share this valuable information. We've got
a few more minutes left and we're gonna have to
get out of here, but I just want to say
thank you for coming. Is there anything you want to
share before you go?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Absolutely, I'm going to encourage our citizens to please to
get out and exercise your right to vote. Not only
do you take your sales, but you take your friends,
your families, and your neighbors especially.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Absolutely, just like you.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
And I checked to before I took them. I said,
are you registered? And they said yes, and I was
just I don't know. That was one of the most
proud feelings I've ever had, taken somebody to the polls
to vote that may have voted for their first time.
My friend's my cousin's son. It may have been his
(28:27):
first time voting.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Yes, go get these children, these grandchildren that live in
the house that may not have voted. An don't go
to the polls and leave grandson at home. Make sure
she or she goes to because if you take just
a few minutes and I'll say that again, even an
hour out of your day two if you have to.
(28:51):
But that vote could be a lifetime changed for generations
and generations to come. We know that the policy that
are made based upon who we elect are for significantly.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Long periods of time.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
You have Supreme Court appointments that the presidential candidates make.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
That are for a lifetime.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Yeah, right, So many things, how our schools are funded,
how our roads are repaired. Basically, your bills, everything, your
phone bill, your life, build everything, everything, Yeah, is based
upon the policies that elected officials enforce and implement. And
your vote decides who speaking.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
For you when you vote, when you vote.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Because it don't work if you don't work it, that's right,
it will work, but it would be better if you
were part of the process. So be a part of
the process. Don't sit this out, don't do it. Okay,
Thank you again. Shelby County Election Commissioner of Anisia Kimbro.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Thank you again. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
Yeah it's no, oh yeah, it's a blessing to have
you here. I appreciate it. I am stormy. It is
the pulse.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
We keep our fingertips on the pulse of our community.
Thank you for joining us. Have yourself a great week.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
God bless you. We'll see you next week, same time,
same station.
Popular Podcasts
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Decisions, Decisions
Welcome to "Decisions, Decisions," the podcast where boundaries are pushed, and conversations get candid! Join your favorite hosts, Mandii B and WeezyWTF, as they dive deep into the world of non-traditional relationships and explore the often-taboo topics surrounding dating, sex, and love. Every Monday, Mandii and Weezy invite you to unlearn the outdated narratives dictated by traditional patriarchal norms. With a blend of humor, vulnerability, and authenticity, they share their personal journeys navigating their 30s, tackling the complexities of modern relationships, and engaging in thought-provoking discussions that challenge societal expectations. From groundbreaking interviews with diverse guests to relatable stories that resonate with your experiences, "Decisions, Decisions" is your go-to source for open dialogue about what it truly means to love and connect in today's world. Get ready to reshape your understanding of relationships and embrace the freedom of authentic connections—tune in and join the conversation!