State Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hamilton County, told local Republicans there needs to be a patriotic revival in the United States, stating one reason for a nationwide ebb in patriotic sentiment could be concerns about election integrity.
"Your vote matters in Tennessee," Martin told members of the conservative Pachyderm Club on Monday. "Don't you dare let anybody tell you or tell your neighbor or tell your kids that your vote doesn't matter — that it's been robbed or stolen or cheated. Have their been issues? Of course, there's been issues. ... Are there problems in Georgia? Are there problems in Arizona? Are there problems in other states? That's for them to deal with."
Citing information from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Martin said Tennessee is ranked No. 1 in election integrity. He passed out a flyer to attendees that contained a 16-point list of the ways the state is "protecting the ballot box." It also refers people to the Tennessee secretary of state's website, GoVoteTN.gov.
(READ MORE: Hamilton County sees influx of records requests related to 2020 presidential election)
Voting machines in Tennessee are not connected to the internet, the handout states. Bipartisan county election commissions must ensure voting machines are publicly tested before every election. Voters must request a ballot and meet one of 14 qualifying conditions to vote absentee by mail, and state law does not allow Election Day registration.
In August, former President Donald Trump and 18 of his associates were indicted in Georgia for allegedly scheming to overturn his 2020 election loss and stop the peaceful transition of power, according to The Associated Press.
Trump lost reelection in 2020 by 7 million votes. His claims of election fraud have been rejected by the states, the courts, the Electoral College, members of his own administration and Congress — which was subjected to a mob of angry Trump supporters Jan. 6, 2021, as members set out to certify the results.
Martin said he recently sat down with a couple, and the husband told him over the summer he "took back" his voter registration from the Hamilton County Election Commission. The husband told Martin elections are corrupt and stolen anyway. He and his wife had become "presidential electors," Martin said.
"I said, 'What in the world are you talking about?' And he pulled out a card and he showed me," Martin told attendees. "I said, 'Where did you hear all this?' 'It was on a website. We have 50 million people that are doing this.' And I said, 'Well, first of all, you've been lied to. Second of all, you want me to help you in Nashville? We think a lot alike, but you're never even going to vote for me. Help me understand that. Help me understand how you've been duped into thinking that your vote doesn't matter.'"
Asked about the 2020 election, Martin said in an interview he thinks Tennessee and Hamilton County's elections were "very secure."
"The people of this community and the state of Tennessee can have complete confidence that when they go to the polls, that their votes count and it matters," Martin said. "For people to surrender their voting rights — like that couple I met — that's dangerous. That's voter suppression."
(READ MORE: Most Chattanooga voters think U.S. is headed in the wrong direction)
Education funding
Aiming to avoid rules that come with the money, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, has suggested rejecting nearly $1.9 billion in federal education funding and making up the difference with state dollars, according to education news outlet Chalkbeat. A 10-member working group is studying that idea.
In an interview, Martin said officials should always be thoroughly evaluating government to ensure it's running efficiently. It's a good idea to study whether the state should forego federal funding, Martin said, but he won't have an opinion until he has all the facts.
"Nobody gives money without strings," Martin said. "I don't give my kids money without strings. Yeah, there's strings. The question is, is the juice worth the squeeze? That's what they're studying, and that's what I want to look at when I go through the facts."
Fire Hall Chats
Martin will hold a series of Fire Hall Chats in November designed to gather feedback on legislative priorities in the coming year. Each meeting will start at 6 p.m. and last one hour. The Tennessee General Assembly will reconvene Jan. 9. The dates are below:
— Nov. 6: Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department training center at 9108 Snow Hill Road in Ooltewah.
— Nov. 8: Chattanooga Fire Station 12 at 900 Forest Ave.
— Nov. 9: Dallas Bay Fire and Rescue Station 2 at 1950 McConnell School Lane in Hixson.
— Nov. 13: Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department at 14828 Dayton Pike in Sale Creek.
Contact David Floyd at dfloyd@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.