Mobile has a vital election to replace 12-year Mayor Sandy Stimpson, who is not seeking re-election for a fourth term.

The runoff election between State Rep. Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile) and former District Court Judge Spiro Cheriogotis is expected to be close.

Mobile voters reported problems Tuesday when some were flagged as “inactive” and initially prevented from casting regular ballots in the city’s mayoral runoff, election officials said.

That appears to have happened at multiple voting locations.

Early reports came from Rise Church, where at least 11 voters were told they were listed as “inactive” after presenting photo IDs and were directed to cast provisional ballots.

Similar issues were reported at VIA Health, Fitness & Enrichment Center on Dauphin Street and “other polling places,” Judy Motlow, Chair of the Mobile County Board of Registrars told Yellowhammer News.

Motlow said she was told the problem has been corrected, though her office did not yet have a full list of impacted polling locations.

The issue involved Tenex electronic poll books used by Mobile election officials.

Motlow said the initial setting required voters listed as inactive to cast provisional ballots. After officials contacted the vendor, the program was updated to allow those voters to complete a voter update form and then cast a standard ballot.

The Mobile County Board of Registrars meets later and analyzes each provisional ballot, deciding whether or not it should be counted.

The BOR would still have to decide on all provisional ballots.

Polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. If a person is in line by 7 p.m., they will be allowed to vote even after 7 p.m.

Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com