September Meeting Highlights Voter Procedures

Anne Marie Adams updated LWVGB members on voting procedures at the September Membership Meeting.

Two speakers addressed members (and sometimes one another) at the LWVGB September Meeting focusing on registration and voting procedures.

Raymond Johnson, Voter Assistance Officer for the 81st Regional Readiness Command, briefed us on Army procedures to encourage and assure delivery of absentee military ballots in this election cycle.

Anne Marie Adams, Jefferson County Circuit Clerk, provided a first-hand account of the processes behind absentee voting and casting provisional ballots in Jefferson County. Ms. Adams actually won her election in 2000 on absentee ballots.

Recent changes to absentee balloting procedures have added a requirement that voter identification be included. The ballot packet must be submitted exactly as instructed. Ms. Adams suggested that voters bring the absentee packet to the probate court at either the Birmingham or Bessemer courthouse to vote on site. Probate Court employees will assist the voter submit the packet properly. Absentee ballots submitted incorrectly are not counted.

Ms. Adams told us that registered voters who have not cast a ballot in two cycles (4 years) are automatically moved to “inactive” status and must register again before voting.

She also discussed requirements for casting provisional ballots. We learned that a provisional ballot will not count if cast at the wrong precinct. A voter can change his or her address and cast a provisional ballot, but the vote MUST be cast at the correct location.

Editor’s Note: The requirement that provisional ballots be cast at a voter’s assigned precinct is being challenged in several states other than Alabama.