Stella Parton, the younger sister of country music legend Dolly Parton, has raised concerns over an issue she said she encountered while casting her ballot during early voting in Tennessee.
The country singer and outspoken Democrat took to social media to recount her experience, joining other voters who have reported difficulties involving voting machines.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Parton urged voters to carefully review their ballots before submitting them, saying her selection repeatedly switched to Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn.
“Again, I remind you to double-check your ballot before you print it out and put it through the machine. I finally called over a poll worker when my ballot kept flipping to the wrong candidate on the third try,” Parton wrote.
“No, this is not a joke! But what good is your vote if the machines are ‘fixed ’? This is the issue here.”
Parton said she cast her ballot at the Hermitage Library and claimed the machine repeatedly selected Blackburn instead of her intended choice.
Election officials, however, said Tennessee’s voting process includes safeguards that allow voters to identify and correct mistakes before their ballots are officially submitted.
“Tennessee’s voting systems are designed with multiple safeguards to help ensure that ballots are recorded consistent with voter intent,” Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins told The Tennessean in response to reports of voting difficulties.
It remains unclear whether the issue experienced by Parton was caused by a technical problem, user error or another factor. Election officials have advised voters who notice discrepancies to immediately notify poll workers so the matter can be examined.
Newsweek also contacted Tennessee election officials for comment.
Tennessee’s election features several major contests, including the gubernatorial race between Republican U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jerri Green, a Memphis city council member.
Voters are also choosing a U.S. senator, with Republican incumbent Bill Hagerty facing Democrat Marquita Bradshaw in a rematch of their 2020 contest.
All nine U.S. House seats in Tennessee are being contested, alongside all 99 seats in the state House and 17 seats in the state Senate.
Early voting began on October 14 and is scheduled to continue until October 29. Voters are also considering three proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution relating to bail, state property taxes and the rights of crime victims.
The election has attracted considerable attention amid a highly competitive political period in the state, particularly because of the open governor’s race following the departure of term-limited Governor Bill Lee.
Stella Parton, a singer, songwriter, actress and author, is best known as Dolly Parton’s younger sister. She grew up in East Tennessee as one of 12 children in a musical family and launched her own recording career during the 1970s.
Over the course of her career, she has released numerous albums covering country, gospel and Americana music. She has also remained active as an author and public commentator, frequently discussing political and social issues on social media.
Her account of the voting incident has attracted attention partly because of her political advocacy and her connection to Dolly Parton, one of Tennessee’s most recognisable cultural figures.
