ABSENTEE VOTING
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016
GENERAL ELECTION
Any qualified elector may vote an absentee ballot by mail or in person at the absentee election manager’s office, if he or she makes an application in writing not less than five days prior to the election and meets one of the following requirements:
- The person will be out of the county or the state on Election Day.
- The person has any physical illness or infirmity which prevents their attendance at the polls.
- The person is unable to access their assigned polling place due to a neurological, musculoskeletal, respiratory (including speech organs) cardiovascular or other life-altering disorder that affects their ability to perform manual tasks, stand for any length of time, walk unassisted, see, hear, or speak AND: (a) they are an elderly voter aged 65 or older OR (b) they are a voter with a disability.
- The person works a shift which has at least ten (10) hours that coincide with the polling hours at their regular polling place.
- The person is enrolled as a student at an educational institution located outside the county of their personal residence, attendance at which prevents their attendance at the polls.
- The person is a member of, or spouse or dependent of a member of, the Armed Forces of the United States or is otherwise similarly qualified to vote absentee pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff.
- The person has been appointed as an election officer at a polling place which is not their regular polling place.
EMERGENCY ABSENTEE BALLOT
Any registered elector who requires emergency treatment of a licensed physician within five days of an election may apply for an emergency absentee ballot for the election and may vote by returning the absentee ballot no later than noon on the day the election is held. The attendant physician shall describe and certify the circumstance as constituting an emergency.
The person may vote by an emergency absentee ballot if he or she is required by his or her employer under unforeseen circumstances to be out of the county on an emergency business trip on Election Day. Under such circumstances, the applicant shall apply for an emergency absentee ballot at the office of the absentee election manager no later than the close of the business day one day prior to the election. The applicant shall complete and file an application form designed by the Secretary of State for emergency absentee voters. The form shall contain an affidavit which the applicant shall sign or swear acknowledging that he or she was not aware of the out-of-county business requirement prior to five days before the election. An applicant who meets the requirements of this subsection may vote by an emergency absentee ballot. After voting the ballot, the voter shall hand the ballot to the absentee election manager.
Applications for absentee voting are available at the Office of Dwayne Amos, Circuit Clerk/Absentee Manager, Cherokee County Courthouse, 100 Main St, Room 203, Centre, AL 35960 or the Secretary of State’s web page www.alabamavotes.gov.
Those serving in the US armed forces, including spouse, should contact their commanding officer for an application.
Completed absentee applications must provide the Alabama residence where the voter is registered to vote, even if the ballot is to be mailed to another address where the applicant/voter regularly receives mail. If you have moved and have not updated your polling place you should contact the Board of Registrars (256) 927-5336 and update your address prior to applying for an absentee ballot or update on line at www.alabamavotes.gov.
- A completed application must be returned BY THE VOTER in person or sent by US Mail.
- NO ONE, NOT EVEN A FAMILY MEMBER, can return another person’s application.
- Multiple applications CANNOT be mailed in the same envelope.
The absentee election manager may not give any person access to completed and filed applications for absentee ballots. This information is not a matter of public record. It should be considered privileged information just the same as voter registration applications.
The absentee election manager shall forward absentee ballots by US Mail to the applicants residence address or upon written request of the voter, to the address where the voter regularly receives mail or by handing the ballot to the voter in person or, in the case of medical emergency voting, to his or her designee in person.
Voter identification instructions will accompany each absentee ballot and must be carefully followed to ensure that the ballot meets the requirement of the law.
VOTERS MUST COMPLETE ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE AFFIDAVIT OF THE ABSENTEE VOTER ENVELOPE.
IF THE VOTER’S AFFIDAVIT IS NOT SIGNED (OR MARKED) AND IF THE AFFIDAVIT IS NOT WITNESSED BY TWO WITNESSES 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER OR NOTARIZED BY A NOTARY PUBLIC PRIOR TO BEING DELIVERED OR MAILED TO THE ABSENTEE ELECTION MANAGER, THE BALLOT WILL NOT BE COUNTED.
ONLY THE VOTER MAY HAND DELIVER HIS OR HER BALLOT TO THE ABSENTEE ELECTION MANAGER IN PERSON OR IT CAN BE MAILED BY US MAIL. NO ONE, NOT EVEN A FAMILY MEMBER, CAN RETURN ANOTHER PERSON’S BALLOT.
The first day to vote absentee in person is Thursday September 22, 2016.
Thursday, November 3, 2016 is the last day voters may apply for a regular absentee ballot for the November 8, 2016 General Election.
Monday, November 7, 2016 is the last day before the election a voter can return in person his or her regular absentee ballot. This is the last day to vote a business emergency ballot. Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than November 7, 2016 and received in my office by noon on Election Day.
For more information about absentee voting visit Alabamavotes.gov or you may contact:
Dwayne Amos, Absentee Election Manager
Cherokee County Courthouse
100 Main St, Room 203
Centre, AL 35960