Important information for Chambers County voters

BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE LAFAYETTE SUN

 CHAMBERS COUNTY — With the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election approaching, here is what voters must know before planning to cast ballots.

Registering to vote

The deadline to register to vote is Monday, Oct. 19.

Alabama lets residents register to vote or update their registration online, by mail or by requesting a paper form. The deadline is 15 days before an election, which for the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 19.

To register, you must be a U.S. citizen living in Alabama and be at least 18 by Election Day. You also cannot be barred by a disqualifying felony conviction or have been ruled mentally incompetent by a court. Voters must show valid photo ID at the polls or with an absentee ballot, unless exempt by law.

There are three ways to apply:

Online, if you have a valid Alabama driver’s license or non-driver ID card.

By mail, using the fillable form on the Secretary of State’s website. Voters must print it, sign it and mail it to their county Board of Registrars.

By requesting a form, either online, by calling the Elections Division at 1-800-274-8683 or by writing to the Office of the Secretary of State, Elections Division, P.O. Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103.

Submitting an application does not register you. You are registered only after your county Board of Registrars reviews and approves it. The state also says registration information may be checked against federal immigration records to verify citizenship.

Voters can check their registration status and find their polling place at myinfo.alabamavotes.gov, or contact their county Board of Registrars. The Chambers County Board of Registrars has offices in both LaFayette and Lanett. 

The LaFayette office is located at 2 S. LaFayette St. and can be reached at (334) 864-4313. The Lanett office is located at 610 S. Gilmer Ave. and can be reached at (334) 644-7781. Both offices can also be contacted at chambers@vote.alabama.gov.

Absentee voting

Alabama does not offer no-excuse early voting. Voters who cannot make it to the polls on Nov. 3 can vote early by absentee ballot, by mail or in person at their county’s absentee election manager’s office, if they meet one of the reasons allowed by state law.

Absentee voting for the general election began Sept. 9, according to Secretary of State Wes Allen’s office. In Lee and Chambers counties, as in most Alabama counties, the absentee election manager is the circuit clerk.

The Chambers County Circuit Clerk is Lisa Burdette. Her office is located in the Chambers County Courthouse at 2 S. LaFayette St. and can be contacted by phone at (334) 864-4368. Her office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT.

Who can vote absentee?

Under state law, a voter may cast an absentee ballot if they:

Expect to be out of the county on Election Day.

Are ill or have a physical disability that prevents a trip to the polls.

Are 65 or older, or have a disability, and cannot access their polling place.

Are registered in Alabama but live outside the county, such as college students, members of the military, their spouses and their children.

Are working as a poll worker or poll watcher at a different polling place.

Must work a required shift of 10 hours or more that overlaps with polling hours.

Are caring for a homebound family member.

Are in jail or prison and have not been convicted of a disqualifying felony.

Voters with a permanent disability can apply for absentee ballots on an annual basis using a separate application.

How to apply

Voters can download an absentee ballot application at AlabamaVotes.gov or request one from the circuit clerk’s office. The application must include the voter’s name and address, the reason for voting absentee, the address where the ballot should be mailed, an original signature and a copy of a valid photo ID. Electronic signatures are not accepted.

Applications can be returned in person, by U.S. mail or by commercial carrier. Each voter’s application must be mailed in its own envelope.

Applications sent by mail must be received by Tuesday, Oct. 27. Applications delivered in person must be received by Thursday, Oct. 29. Voters who apply in person at the clerk’s office can often receive and cast their ballot on the spot.

Returning the ballot

The ballot comes with three envelopes. Voters seal the ballot in the plain secrecy envelope, place that inside the affidavit envelope and then sign the affidavit. The signature must be witnessed by two adults age 18 or older or by a notary public. Remote or electronic notarization is not allowed.

Election officials say a missing witness signature is the most common reason absentee ballots are not counted.

Completed ballots returned by mail must be received by noon on Election Day, Nov. 3. Ballots returned in person must be delivered by the voter to the absentee election manager’s office by close of business, and no later than 5 p.m., on Monday, Nov. 2. Alabama does not use ballot drop boxes.

The secretary of state’s office recommends mailing applications and ballots at least two weeks before each deadline. Voters can track the status of their absentee ballot at myinfo.alabamavotes.gov.

Emergencies

Voters who face an unexpected work requirement, a family death or a family member’s medical emergency within five days of the election can apply for an emergency absentee ballot until 5 p.m. on Nov. 2. Voters with their own medical emergency in that window can have a designee pick up and return their ballot, which must be turned in by noon on Election Day. A physician must certify the emergency.

Military and overseas voters

Military members, their families and Alabamians living overseas can request ballots through the Federal Post Card Application. Details are at FVAP.gov and AlabamaVotes.gov.

Key dates

Here is a summary of the key deadlines voters must know:

Voter registration: Oct. 19

Absentee application received by mail: Tuesday, Oct. 27

Absentee application delivered in-person: Thursday, Oct. 29

Absentee ballot hand-delivered: Monday, Nov. 2, by 5 p.m.

Emergency absentee application: Monday, Nov. 2, by 5 p.m.

Absentee ballot received by mail: Nov. 3 by noon

Election Day: Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit www.sos.alabama.gov/, govoteal.org/ or www.vote.org/.