We, the undersigned citizens, call upon the State of Tennessee to establish a program providing eligible citizens with a free state identification card or driver's license for the duration of its normal validity period.

Our Proposal
Every eligible citizen should have the opportunity to obtain a state-issued identification card or driver's license without paying the standard issuance or renewal fee.

In exchange for receiving this identification document at no cost, the citizen would agree to participate in every election for which they are eligible during the period that the free ID or license remains valid.

The program would operate as follows:

Free ID or Driver's License
An eligible citizen may receive a state identification card or driver's license without paying the normal issuance or renewal fee.
Civic Participation Requirement
The citizen must vote in every election in which they are eligible during the validity period of their free ID or license.
Failure to Vote
If the state records that the citizen did not vote in an election for which they were eligible, the citizen would receive written notice explaining that they are required to pay the standard fee for their ID or driver's license.
90-Day Payment Period
The citizen would have 90 days from the date of the notice to pay the standard fee and maintain their identification without interruption.
Suspension for Nonpayment
If the required fee is not paid within 90 days, the ID or driver's license would be suspended until the required fee is paid, subject to all applicable state laws and due-process protections.
Legitimate Exceptions
The program should recognize circumstances in which a person was legally unable to vote, including circumstances established by state law. Citizens should also have a clear process for correcting voting-record errors and appealing an erroneous determination.
Why We Support This
A government-issued ID is often necessary for everyday life. People use identification to work, travel, conduct financial transactions, obtain government services, and participate in their communities.

At the same time, voting is one of the most important responsibilities available to citizens in a representative government.

This proposal seeks to accomplish two goals:

First, no citizen should be prevented from obtaining basic state identification simply because they cannot afford the fee.

Second, citizens who choose to receive that identification free of charge should be encouraged to participate in the democratic process that determines who represents them.

We believe this program would create a simple exchange:

Participate in your elections → Keep your state ID or license free.

Choose not to participate → Pay the standard fee to continue receiving the benefit.

The purpose of this petition is not to force anyone to support a particular political party, candidate, or position. The proposed requirement concerns participation, not the content of a citizen's vote.

We Call Upon Our State Leaders To:
Establish a program providing qualifying citizens with free state IDs and driver's licenses.
Encourage participation in every election for which citizens are eligible.
Establish clear notification and appeal procedures.
Provide reasonable exemptions for legally recognized circumstances preventing a citizen from voting.
Give citizens at least 90 days to resolve any fee obligation before suspension.
Ensure that citizens are not penalized because of administrative errors in voting records.
Protect the privacy and confidentiality of citizens' voting information.
Enact the necessary legislation to establish and administer this program.
We believe access to identification and participation in democracy should go hand in hand.

We therefore ask the elected representatives of Tennessee to seriously consider and enact this proposal.

Sign this petition if you support free state-issued identification tied to participation in the democratic process.