BLM activist Pamela Moses running for Independent U.S. Senate seat
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Pamela Moses, an activist who made national headlines when she was sentenced to six years in prison for illegally registering to vote, says she is running for U.S. Senate.
She formally announced her run for a Tennessee U.S. Senate seat while outside the federal courthouse in Nashville Monday afternoon.
She turned in a petition to run as an independent but is asking Republicans and Democrats to support her.
Pamela Moses announces plans to run for Senate
“This is the campaign for change,” she said. “In Tennessee every day we witness tragedies and tragic consequences due to poverty, inequality, and failing education systems. It’s time to hear our people.”
Some of her platforms include healthcare reform, supporting veteran affairs, mental health support, and criminal justice reform.
This comes after she pleaded guilty in 2015 to felony counts of tampering with evidence and forgery.
Moses admitted to registering to vote despite the felony conviction but said probation officials told her she was eligible to be reinstated. The cases against Moses were later dropped.
Pamela Moses illegal voting trial dropped by DA
Beyond making international headlines following her voting case, she is an activist in the Memphis community and founded the Memphis Chapter of Black Lives Matter.
But there were questions about what political party Moses would pull a petition for.
“I did pull a republican petition for this candidacy,” she said. “I was a Democrat for 30 years but in the interest in the culture shift for which you see here, real people. I have conservative values but I am progressive enough to submit my independent petition because I believe that independence is what this country needs. We need people more focused on the issues and the causes and not the parties.”
To appear on the ballot you need 25 valid signatures on your petition.
According to the state, having a felony conviction does not hinder a Tennessee resident from running for U.S. Senate.
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