By SAM HATCHER

Early voting continues.

The numbers of those who are to cast votes in the Tennessee Presidential Primary are not expected to break any past voter turnout records. That's the story across Tennessee, likely across Wilson County and for that matter that's been the story in primary elections that have already been held.

There are nine Republicans listed on the ballot and only one Democrat.

Election day itself, now recognized as Super Tuesday because of the participation of multiple states, is Tuesday, March 6.

One new twist to this year's Presidential Primary and for elections to follow is the requirement that voters show a proper photo ID.

It's an aggravating new state law that in many cases places a hardship on would-be voters and discourages many from participating in the election process.

The law was passed to prevent or deter voting fraud, but the truth of the matter is that very little voter fraud has been reported in Tennessee. Just a side note, there have been no changes made in the laws governing absentee voting.

At a time when we are trying to promote more voice in government, teaching our young that it's important to go to the polls and vote, and hearing so many outcries about how our government is operated, it seems we in Tennessee have taken a step backward with the photo ID requirement.

Despite so much being written about the new law and so much publicity being espoused, you can be sure that there will a number of voters to show up at the polls without the proper photo ID and be turned away.

These will be good citizens. They will be taxpayers. They will be veterans. They will be people who have been and who are important to our nation and community.

But they won't be given the privilege to vote because they didn't have the appropriate photo ID.