Dolly Parton’s sister Stella Parton has claimed she is receiving hate mail and death threats after speaking out about an alleged voting machine issue in Tennessee, adding that her late sister’s “heart was broken” over the political situation in the United States.Stella, who has been outspoken about her political views on social media, said the backlash would not stop her from raising concerns about human rights and the country’s future. She also claimed that she had faced hostile messages and death threats for years because of her criticism of Donald Trump.“I’ve been getting hate mail and death threats and nasty comments since I started posting on Trump ten years ago,” Stella wrote on Facebook. “I’ve been a human rights activist for decades and that will never change.”In another post, she reflected on her late sister’s concerns about her activism and recalled how Dolly had supported her despite their different approaches to public life.“My big sister’s heart was broken over it but she respected my work. We just worked differently,” Stella wrote. “She would be concerned about me today, when my life was threatened, just like she used to be concerned when I raced cars in celebrity races.”
Dolly Parton’s sister Stella Parton says her late sibling “would be concerned about me today” amid alleged threats over her political activism.
Stella Parton alleges voting machine repeatedly selected Marsha Blackburn
The controversy began after Stella, 77, claimed that a voting machine at the Hermitage branch of the Nashville Public Library repeatedly selected Republican gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn when she tried to cast her ballot for someone else.In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Stella said she had voted during early voting in Nashville the previous week and had to correct her selection three times.“In Tennessee last week at the Hermitage Library where I voted, I had to go back three times and correct my vote because it kept defaulting to Marsha Blackburn,” she wrote. “I would never vote for her for anything.”Stella did not disclose which candidate she intended to vote for. Jerri Green is the Democratic candidate in Tennessee’s gubernatorial race, alongside independent candidates.Urging voters to check their selections carefully, Stella added, “I’m putting this out here because when we vote, we take it seriously but we try not to hold up the long lines. Do it anyway. Don’t let them rig this election.”She later said she was “frightened and frustrated” by the alleged incident and expressed anger over what she described as a lack of accountability in American politics.
Stella Parton claims a Tennessee voting machine repeatedly selected Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn instead of her intended choice.
Stella denies being paid by Democrats to speak about voting machines
As her posts attracted attention, Stella said some people had accused the Democratic Party of paying her to make claims about the voting equipment. She rejected the allegation, insisting that neither party had ever paid or offered her money.“I have never received or been offered one dime from either party ever,” she wrote. “Everything I post and all the work I do for my state and country is for human rights not any political party.”Stella also criticised political polarisation and said her activism was driven by her commitment to human rights rather than party loyalty. In another post, she expressed hope that Americans would eventually be able to have respectful conversations about the safety and wellbeing of children.She also raised concerns about possible interference by Elon Musk and Russian online accounts. However, there is no credible evidence establishing that Musk or Russian accounts tampered with Tennessee’s election operations.
Stella Parton denies being paid by Democrats to speak about voting machine concerns.
Tennessee election officials respond to voting machine allegations
Tennessee election officials have disputed the suggestion that the reported incidents demonstrate deliberate vote manipulation.In a statement to The Tennessean, officials said: “Tennessee’s voting systems are designed with multiple safeguards to help ensure that ballots are recorded consistent with voter intent.”Tennessee Elections Coordinator Mark Goins told WSMV that the reported problems were “not a vote-flipping situation”. He suggested that unintended touches on touchscreen machines could explain some of the issues reported by voters.Chad Gray, election administrator in Williamson County, said officials there had found no discrepancies in their voting equipment. He added that if concerns arose, representatives from each party could examine the devices to ensure they were functioning properly.
Other voters claim they experienced similar problems
Stella’s Facebook post drew comments from other users who said they had encountered similar touchscreen issues at polling stations.One commenter claimed to have experienced the problem at the Holt Library in Brentwood, adding that they caught the incorrect selection before submitting their ballot.Another said they had to ensure the machine registered their intended choice of Jerri Green before printing the ballot. A third person, who said they had voted at the Hermitage Library, claimed they had to press the button for Green three times before the selection registered.These accounts have not independently established that votes were deliberately changed or that the reported incidents were part of a coordinated effort to influence the election.
Dolly Parton kept her political views private
Stella’s outspoken political activism contrasts with the public approach of her elder sister, Dolly Parton, who was famously private about her voting preferences and did not publicly disclose which candidates she supported.Dolly, the celebrated country singer-songwriter and philanthropist, died aged 80 on August 25, 2026, following a battle with cancer. She was admired by fans across the political spectrum, while Stella has frequently used social media to speak about human rights and criticise political figures.Stella has maintained that the criticism and threats will not silence her, saying she intends to continue speaking out on issues she believes affect the country and its people.
