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By Jon Styff

The Center Square

Eleven individuals have been arrested in Sumner County after being indicted on felony charges for illegally voting after a felony conviction.

The 11 individuals were charged with illegal registration and false entries on an official registration.

The charges came after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation looked into 15 convicted felons that were accused of illegally voting in Sumner County between 2020 and 2022. Four of the individuals were found to be deceased.

Gregory Blackmon of Clarksville, Antione Bridges of Cottontown, Bradley Crowell of Hendersonville, Jerry Dodd of Portland, Terry Ewin of Gallatin, Shannon Holt Sr. of Gallatin, James McGee of Hendersonville, Rita Poindexter of Gallatin, Larry Russell Sr. of Gallatin, Ladasha Warfield of Gallatin and Bobby Williams of Portland were all held on $5,000 bond.

Individuals in Tennessee lose voting rights with a felony conviction and must apply to restore their right to vote, if they qualify. That applies to any felony conviction after May 17, 1981 or infamous felonies before Jan. 15, 1973.

That process includes receiving a pardon or having the rights restored by a court and completing a Certificate for Voting Rights Restoration.

Nearly 3,350 Tennesseans regained those rights since 2013, fewer than 1% of those with felony convictions, according to Tennessee Lookout.

Nearly 10% of the Tennessee voting population has felony convictions and cannot vote and nearly 20% of Black Tennesseans are unable to vote due to felonies, Lookout wrote.