Dolly Parton's Sister Stella Parton Raises Concerns About Tennessee Early Voting After Alleging Her Ballot Selections Were Switched: 'Don't Let Them Rig This Election'

Stella Parton, the sister of country music legend Dolly Parton, is raising concerns about her early voting experience in Tennessee ahead of the November election.

In a Facebook post, Stella described what happened as she cast her ballot, while urging other voters to pay close attention to their selections before submitting.

“In Tennessee last week at the Hermitage Library where I voted, I had to go back three times and correct my vote because it kept defaulting to Marsha Blackburn. I would never vote for her for anything. I’m putting this out here because when we vote, we take it seriously, but we try not to hold up the long lines. Do it anyway. Don’t let them rig this election,” she ranted.

Stella also expressed her anger in the comments section of her post, raising concerns about the possibility of outside interference in the election.

“And we have people asking why we’re so angry. 😡 I’m more frightened and frustrated than angry. This is so sad and heartbreaking but to think this is what it’s come to makes me angry for every good and innocent person in this country. To think people like Elon Musk and Russian bots may be upended another election makes my skin crawl. May they all die and worms eat them,” she continued.

Her post prompted other social media users to share their own experiences with early voting, with several commenters claiming they had encountered similar issues.

“That happened to me too in Brentwood, at the Holt Library. Luckily I caught it!” one commenter wrote.

Another voter emphasized the importance of reviewing ballot selections before submitting them, writing, “I always double check the paper receipt before I mash the red button. Technology is subject to mistakes, as well…”

“Wow!! The exact same thing happened to me!! 😲✨ I chose not to say anything as I chalked it up to user error although I didn't believe it in my heart. 😶‍🌫️🤔 Thankfully, I'm always one to double check my votes 🗳 😉✅🗳️,” a third chimed in.

Another person suggested the issue might not be new, writing, “Didn’t this same the in other elections, sure I remember people reporting it!”

“I read that was happening to other voters yesterday as well,” a fifth added.

Stella’s post comes as other voters in Tennessee’s Williamson County have reported similar difficulties with their ballot selections. According to WSMV, some voters said their voting machines displayed a different candidate than the one they intended to choose.

However, the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office said it had received just “one complaint” of this nature among “roughly 400,000 ballots cast” during the current election period.

Officials have reminded voters that they can check their selections at several points before submitting their ballots. These include the initial selection screen, the final review screen and the paper record produced by the voting system.

“Voters who believe there is a problem should immediately tell a poll official before casting their ballot,” Secretary of State’s Office stated per the TV station.

Tennessee’s early voting period for the November 3 state and federal general election runs from Wednesday, October 14, through Thursday, October 29.

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 3, when voters will cast their ballots for governor, U.S. Senate, congressional seats and state legislative offices, among other races.