Any Alabama voter who wants to elect their chosen candidate for mayor and city councilperson next month can vote absentee if they want to avoid the risk of contracting the coronavirus.
The announcement of the new policy was made on Monday by Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, who employed the same rule during Alabama’s recent primary runoff elections.
“[W]e will continue to see that Alabamians have the opportunity to safely participate in the electoral process during these challenging times,” Merrill said in a statement on Monday.
Merrill’s office says the Alabama League of Municipalities requested the policy. The Secretary of State is allowed to issue certain voting protocols during declared states of emergency.
Nearly all of Alabama’s cities will elect their mayor and city council on August 25, 2020.
A few notable exceptions like Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Dothan, Auburn, Bessemer, Talladega and Gadsden do not have city elections in 2020.
Huntsville, Mountain Brook and Scottsboro elect their mayor and part of their city council on August 25, with the other seats on their city councils up in 2022.
Voters filling out an application for an absentee ballot need only check the box that says “I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls. [ID REQUIRED]” to receive their absentee ballot.
The deadline to apply for a municipal election absentee ballot is August 20.
Absentee ballots must be postmarked by August 24 and received by noon on August 25 to be counted; they can also be hand-delivered by the person voting to a county absentee election manager by close of business on August 24.
“We appreciate the Secretary of State’s Office collaborating with ALM to address these extraordinary circumstances as we head into municipal elections,” said Greg Cochran, League of Municipalities Executive Director, in a statement provided by Merrill’s office.
More information on the requirements to vote absentee in Alabama, including the form to apply for an absentee ballot, can be found here.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
