VoteRiders Helps Indiana Voter Reclaim Identity and Secure ID

BY SHELLY BROMBERG, VOTERIDERS VOTER ID ASSISTANCE VOLUNTEER — DECEMBER 12, 2024

When Jemmie moved to Indiana a few years ago, she knew she needed to replace her Tennessee ID with an Indiana one. Like many states, Indiana now requires a birth certificate as part of the documentation necessary to get a state ID. Jemmie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, so she requested a copy of her birth certificate through the Cincinnati Vital Records office. When the birth certificate arrived, Jemmie was shocked to discover that her first and middle names were spelled differently, and her last name was not “Weddington” but “Pepper.”

Even though all of her other documents, including her Social Security card and her unexpired Tennessee ID showed her name as “Jemmie Weddington,” the huge discrepancy between these documents and her birth certificate made it impossible for her to get her Indiana State ID. 

In April 2024, Jemmie heard about VoteRiders and called our Helpline number seeking assistance. As a VoteRiders ID assistance volunteer, my first try was to see if we could get help from the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society, but they were overwhelmed and couldn’t help. We then moved on to see if I could work with the Vital Records office in Cincinnati, where I live. A couple of weeks later, I learned that an amazing attorney in Florida, Antonia Iragorri-Bernal, was interested in helping VoteRiders with some pro bono work.

Everything began to fall into place when we connected with Antonia about Jemmie’s case. She did all the legwork and drafted the affidavit. Jemmie would need to have notarized it to request the change in spelling of her first and middle names. However, Jemmie did not want to change her last name because “Pepper” was her father’s name and the last name of most of her close relatives. She told me she thinks “her mother was so angry at her father after their divorce that she just decided to give [Jemmie] her second husband’s last name without any formal paperwork.”

Antonia filed the paperwork and we began our wait. One month later, I got an email from Antonia that the spelling changes were complete and Jemmie could now order her birth certificate in Ohio. We ordered it as soon as we could. A few weeks later, Jimmie texted me a beautiful picture and said, “I’m a Pepper!”

Every single person involved in this process, and probably others we do not even know, helped to make Jemmie’s life whole again. Although our task may seem daunting at times, never doubt how resounding our impact.  

If you or someone you know is looking for ID information or assistance, or are interested in volunteering with us, visit our website at VoteRiders.org to learn more. 

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