Understanding Calhoun County local amendments: bingo halls and police jurisdiction

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Calhoun County votes
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When Alabamians get to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 6, voters in some counties will see local amendments on the ballot.

Here’s a look at what residents of Calhoun County need to know about two local amendments they’ll see on the ballot:

On the ballot: PROPOSED LOCAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE (1) Relating to Calhoun County, proposing a local amendment to Amendment 508 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, authorizing the operation of bingo games for prizes or money in the county; and to prohibit any bingo permittee or licensee from operating bingo near a residential area. (Proposed by Act 2017-81)

  • Vote: Yes/No

What it means: If passed, the amendment would ban bingo halls from operating within 3,000 feet of any residence.

On the ballot: PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO (2) Relating to Calhoun County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide that any territory in Calhoun County outside of the corporate limits of a municipality would not be subject to the police jurisdiction or planning jurisdiction of the municipality if the municipality is not located entirely in the county and to provide an exception for the City of Oxford. (Proposed by Act 2018-17)

  • Vote: Yes/No

What it means: If passed, the amendment would restrict cities that straddle the county (Southside, Glencoe, maybe Piedmont) from being able to exercise police jurisdiction within the county. Only cities that lie entirely within Calhoun County would have police jurisdiction in the county.

Sample ballot

Click out the Calhoun County sample ballot: Front side | Back side

Don’t live inCalhoun County? Find your county’s sample ballot here.