Vote Fraud at State Care Facility

Could there be anything more despicable than taking advantage of someone in your care to commit fraud? Probably not.

Just days before the Tennessee’s February 5th presidential primary News Channel 5 learned employees at the Clover Bottom Developmental Center in Nashville had been registering patients to vote. Often without their knowledge or the knowledge of their court appointed conservators.

Such was the case with Kelly Harper. News Channel 5 reports:
Kelly Harper, 24, never recovered from a childhood accident. A head injury caused a stroke and, in essence, froze her brain in time.

“Mentally, she’s at the 1-year-old stage,” said her mother Becky Moss. “She cannot drive. She cannot read. She cannot write. She can’t make decision for herself,” Moss said. “Somebody, if she has voted, has done it for her,” she said. “They’re taking advantage of her.” Still, under the law, Kelly has the right to vote. Her family only wishes she could.

Kelly’s family was shocked to learn that she had been registered to vote. They were even more surprised to learn that Kelly had voted three times; casting ballots for governor, U.S. Senate, House of Representative and local races.

Constitutional attorney David Raybin is concerned:
“Her rights have been violated.” After watching her on tape, he said, ‘I don’t think she’s capable of exercising independent judgment.
And, if she can’t make her own choice, someone else apparently did.
“Of course, it’s dangerous,” he said.
A group of people who want to get votes for a particular candidate could go to an institution and take advantage of people not able to make free choices.

Kelly’s mother told News Channel 5 that she fears someone voted twice using her daughter’s vote.

Fifty-five residents are registered to vote at Clover Bottom. They do have every right to vote.
Tennessee officials promised to investigate the matter after the report was first aired