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Dear Editor:

I am writing today to alert Troup County voters that they may involuntarily become listed as an “inactive” voter. I received a mailing from the Troup County Voter Registration office this week. When I opened it I was surprised to learn I was receiving that mailing “because official election mail was returned by the postal service when sent to the address on your voter registration record.”  I was surprised because I have lived in and owned my residence for three years. There has been no address change. I checked my voter registration card and it, too, has my current address listed. I am an active voter. 

The mailing requires me to complete a form verifying my name, address, driver’s license number, email address and then provide a signature.  The postage paid form is then sent to Brad Raffensperger, Secretary of State.

I called the Troup County Voter Registration office and received very cordial and professional help. The representative pulled up my registration information and she verified that all my information is current and that I am an active voter. She did note that a piece of “official election mail” was returned by the post office to their office in early June. I had absolutely no idea that something was returned. I could have easily tossed this latest mailing in the trash once I checked my voter registration card and saw that my current address was listed.

I am an avid reader of the news and current events from all over the state and nation and had no idea that I could have been deemed “inactive.”

Apparently this “cleansing” of the rolls is routine, although this is the first time I have experienced it in my 44 years of voting. I hate the suspicious feeling I have about this experience. I changed party affiliations two years ago and moved to a voting district that is a predominately lower income sector than my previous address.  It is my hope that this is a mere coincidence.

Your right to vote and your active involvement in voting is crucial to the future of democracy. Please call the local Registrar’s office at 706-883-1610 and verify your voting status.

LAURA JENNINGS

Troup County