Dear John,

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, where I live and spend some of my time as a VoteRiders Voter ID Assistance Volunteer. When she requested a copy of her birth certificate and it arrived, Jemmie was shocked to discover that her first and middle names were spelled differently and her last name wasn’t “Weddington” but “Pepper”!

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

Jemmie called the VoteRiders Helpline. I was paired with her to work one-on-one to solve this significant problem. 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. A couple of weeks later, I learned that an amazing attorney in Florida was interested in helping VoteRiders with some pro bono work.

This lawyer, Antonia Iragorri-Berna, drafted an affidavit that Jemmie had to get notarized and submit to the Cincinnati Vital Records office requesting the change in the spelling of her first and middle names. Jemmie didn’t 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 decided to give Jemmie her second husband’s last name without any formal paperwork.

Antonia filed the paperwork and then we waited. A 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, Jemmie texted me a beautiful picture and said “I’m a Pepper!”

I love working with people like Jemmie as a VoteRiders volunteer. Jemmie, and so many others, need someone to help them navigate confusing bureaucracy or just be a friendly face and advocate for them during a frustrating and dehumanizing process. Often, like in Jemmie’s case, we work together to solve problems creatively, connect the dots, and help voters feel heard.

If you’re good with people and love to solve problems, consider becoming a Voter ID Assistance volunteer. There’s an orientation coming up on January 21 — sign up and learn more!

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In 2025, many of us are rededicating ourselves to helping people and supporting our communities. Becoming a Voter ID Assistance Volunteer is a great way to give time, meet people, and help every voice to be heard.

With gratitude,

Shelly Bromberg
Voter ID Assistance Volunteer
VoteRiders

P.S. If you don’t have time to give this year but still want to help voters with key information and free help, start a monthly gift today and support VoteRiders all year long. >> [link removed]

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