Hunter, Megan, Books & Voting

Community Matters: Local Politics, Voting Rights, Funding Local Elections, and Banning Books in Our Library.

Host Len Assante kicks off with the issues of voting rights and local governance with guests Hunter Wheeler and Megan Lange. Hunter, the Sixth District Chair for the Tennessee Democratic County Chairs Association, emphasizes the importance of building networks across county parties to ensure effective governance. Megan Lange, chair of the Sumner County Democratic Party, provides a detailed update on the issue of convenience voting in Sumner County. She criticizes the County Commission for delaying the budget approval necessary for implementing this system, effectively resulting in intentional voter suppression. The conversation also touches on broader implications of gerrymandering and its impact on representative democracy. Both guests stress the importance of community engagement and active participation in local politics to combat these challenges. The episode concludes with a lively discussion on local library controversies, notably current Sumner County Library Board Chairwoman, Joanna Daniels’, problematic actions on the library board, and the legalities surrounding recent meetings. Megan encourages listeners to focus on broader pressing issues like the election commission and volunteer fire departments. Listeners are reminded of upcoming events, including the 'No Kings Rally' and the importance of showing up at the next County Commission meeting to defend our libraries and our right to vote. The show closes with a glimpse of the guest’s favorite movies.