Stella Parton Claims Voting Machine Switched Ballot Multiple Times

Stella Parton, sister of country music icon Dolly Parton, has claimed that a voting machine at a Nashville, Tennessee polling location repeatedly switched her ballot choice to Republican gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn. Parton stated on Facebook that she had to correct her vote three times last week at the Hermitage branch of the Nashville Public Library because the machine kept defaulting to Blackburn, a candidate she asserted she would “never vote for.”

Parton did not disclose who she voted for, but expressed frustration with the alleged malfunctioning equipment, urging voters to remain vigilant. "Do it anyway. Don't let them rig this election," she posted.

State election officials, in a statement to The Tennessean, denied Parton's allegations. "Tennessee's voting systems are designed with multiple safeguards to help ensure that ballots are recorded consistent with voter intent," the statement read.

However, Parton's claims were met with similar anecdotes from other Tennessee voters in the comments on her Facebook post. Some users reported experiencing the same issue, with one commenter stating they had to select Democratic candidate Jerri Green three times before the selection registered correctly. Another voter who cast their ballot at the same Hermitage library location corroborated Parton's account, stating they also had to select their preferred candidate multiple times.

Mark Goins, Tennessee Elections Coordinator, told WSMV that reported issues in his area were not indicative of a vote-flipping problem, suggesting they were more likely “unintended touches.” Chad Gray, election administrator in Williamson County, also reported no discrepancies in voting equipment in his jurisdiction, adding that bipartisan teams would examine devices if questions arise.

Parton expressed anger over the alleged voting machine issues, calling for accountability from lawmakers. She also baselessly blamed figures such as Elon Musk and Russian bots for potential election interference, claims for which no credible evidence was presented. Parton further alleged that she received hateful commentary and death threats from Republicans following her post, and denied claims that she was paid by the Democratic Party to speak out. Her late sister, Dolly Parton, was known for her political privacy and was broadly popular across the political spectrum.