Alabama Big 10 Mayors say state will be safer thanks to Aniah’s Law
On Tuesday, Alabama voters went to the polls and overwhelmingly voted to ratify Amendment One -Aniah’s Law. The Big 10 Mayors had endorsed ratification of the bill to allow judges to deny mail to dangerous felons. After Tuesday’s victory, the Mayors said they will continue to collectively advocate for policy goals that make the state a better place for all Alabamians “We were proud to support this constitutional amendment and to have fought for its approval by Alabama voters,” the Mayors said. “This is a big win for public safety in Alabama and will honor Aniah’s memory for generations to come.” They thanked voters for making Alabama safer by showing up at the polls and voting for Aniah’s Law. “As mayors of Alabama’s ten largest cities, we understand the great responsibility we have to promote public safety in our communities,” the Mayors said. Early on, we identified Aniah’s Law as an issue in which we could use our collective influence to advocate for and make Alabamians safer. This amendment will give Alabama judges and District Attorneys the tools they need to keep violent criminals off the streets.” Under current Alabama law, judges have limited authority to deny bail to violent offenders unless the suspect is charged with a capital offense or poses a flight risk. Proponents say that means that dangerous criminals are often released back onto the streets, even when it is likely they will commit more violent crimes as soon as they make bail. Aniah Blanchard was a Southern Union student who was kidnapped off of the streets of Auburn at a gas station by a known violent kidnapper who was out on bond. She was brutalized, raped, and murdered by her attacker. Her parents were instrumental in Aniah’s law being passed by the Alabama Legislature. Now, after a majority of Alabama voters voted to pass Aniah’s Law, judges will be able to deny bail to dangerous offenders who are likely to re-offend when charged with serious felonies like murder, kidnapping, rape, sexual torture, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, arson, robbery, terrorism, or aggravated child abuse. “Far too often, these offenders – who are often charged with crimes such as murder, rape, and kidnapping – are released to re-commit more heinous crimes while they await trial. That flawed system led to the kidnapping and murder of 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard in October of 2019. Simply put, Aniah’s accused killer should have been in jail, and Aniah should still be alive. We were honored to help get this constitutional amendment across the finish line to protect Alabamians from suffering the same tragedy that befell Aniah and her family. We were proud to support this constitutional amendment and to have fought for its approval by Alabama voters. This is a big win for public safety in Alabama and will honor Aniah’s memory for generations to come.” Amendment one was also endorsed by Gov. Kay Ivey, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Secretary of State John Merrill, and unanimous votes by both Houses of the Alabama Legislature, where it was sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. “We will continue to collectively advocate for policy goals that make our state a better place for all Alabamians,” said the Mayors. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. All ten statewide constitutional amendments and the 2022 recompiled state constitution were ratified by voters on Tuesday. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Election 2022: A look at who’s running on the Alabama ballot
Alabama voters will decide races ranging from U.S. Senate and governor to local offices in Tuesday’s election Polling places and registration status can be found on the secretary of state’s website, at https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview. Voter turnout is expected to be moderate, according to a projection by Secretary of State John Merrill. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Here’s a quick look at major statewide races and issues: US SENATE Republican Katie Britt faces Democratic nominee Will Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus in the race for the rare open Senate seat in Alabama. Britt is outgoing U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby’s former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama. Britt was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary and has emphasized border security, concern about the national debt and a need for new voices in Congress. Boyd, a pastor, supports Medicaid expansion and efforts to protect the Voting Rights Act. Sophocleus, a former college economics instructor at Auburn University, supports the abolishment of federal gun laws and the creation of a flat tax. GOVERNOR Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is looking to win a second full term in office as she faces Democrat Yolanda Flowers and Libertarian Jimmy Blake. Ivey avoided a runoff in the spring despite facing eight Republican challengers in the primary. Flowers, an educator, is the first Black woman to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in the state. Blake is a physician and a former Birmingham City Council member. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Republican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth faces Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson. There is not a Democratic candidate in the race. The lieutenant governor presides over the Alabama Senate. However, the most notable thing about the position is that the lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor leaves office for any reason. Libertarians believe the race is their strongest hope of hitting the 20% vote threshold needed to maintain ballot access in 2024. SECRETARY OF STATE Alabama will elect a new person to the office that oversees elections. Republican Rep. Wes Allen faces Democrat Pamela Laffitte and Libertarian Matt Shelby. Allen, citing security concerns, opposes alternative means of voting such as curbside voting, mail-in voting, or allowing people to vote absentee for any reason. Laffitte supports expanded methods, such as early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, to make voting more convenient. Shelby supports changing Alabama’s stringent ballot access law that has made it difficult for third-party candidates to run. He also supports alternative systems such as ranked-choice voting. ATTORNEY GENERAL Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall faces Democrat Wendell Major. Marshall is seeking his second full term as Alabama attorney general. His campaign has emphasized his role in lawsuits challenging vaccine mandates and other policies of President Joe Biden’s administration. Major is the police chief of Tarrant. He has emphasized the need to address the state’s opioid crisis and mental health crisis. OTHER RACES — In the state treasurer’s race, Republican incumbent Young Boozer faces Libertarian Scott Hammond. — In the state auditor’s race, Republican Andrew Sorrell faces Libertarian Leigh Lachine. — In the race for commissioner of agriculture and industries, Republican incumbent Rick Pate faces Libertarian Jason Clark — In the races for Public Service Commission, Republican incumbents Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker face challenges from Libertarians Ron Bishop and Laura Lane. — In the race for Alabama Supreme Court, Place 5, Republican Greg Cook faces Democrat Anita Kelly. NEW CONSTITUTION Alabama voters will decide whether to ratify the Alabama Constitution of 2022 that removes racist language, such as references to segregated schools and an interracial marriage ban. It also reorganizes the document, which has been amended nearly 1,000 times, to remove repealed provisions and make it more user-friendly. However, it makes no changes to how government operates. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS There are 10 proposed statewide constitutional amendments. Those include Amendment 1, which would give judges more discretion to deny bail to people accused of violent crimes. Amendment 10 is a companion amendment to the ratification vote that would allow new amendments to be placed within the document. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
John Merrill discusses the Secretary of State’s office in a visit to St. Clair County
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill recently spoke to the St. Clair County Young Republicans gathered in Pell City about his office and issues of election security. “Henry Hitchcock was our first of 53 Secretaries of state in Alabama,” Merrill told the group. Merrill said that while elections and campaign finance review is what the office is best known for, “Business services is over 65% of what we do. When we started (7 and a half years ago), we had 49 employees in that office, and they were six to seven months behind on filings. Today we have 36 team members, and they handle their filings on the day that they are filed. We are not moving at the speed of government anymore. We are moving at the speed of business.” The Secretary of State’s office oversees Alabama elections. “One of the things that I concentrate on is making sure that every citizen who is eligible to vote has the opportunity to vote,” Merrill said. “As of today, we have 3,681,000 registered voters in the state of Alabama. Per capita, no state has done what we have.” “96% of all eligible Black citizens in the state of Alabama are registered to vote. 91% of all eligible White citizens in the state are registered to vote.” In the last year and a half, Merrill said that many people had asked him what the Republicans did wrong in the 2020 election – where Donald Trump narrowly lost the presidency to Joe Biden. “When I was chairman of the Republican Secretaries of State in 2020 and 2021, some of the suggestions I made were listened to, and most were not,” Merrill said. “Karl Rove and Ronna McDaniel asked me to chair a commission,” looking at how elections could be improved. Merrill explained that there are “Five pillars.” 1. Empower the states 2. We believe we have to make sure that only U.S. citizens are added to the voter rolls 3. We believe the gold standard is in-person voting on election day with a voter ID 4. If you have a vote-by-mail component, you have a copy of your photo ID 5. When the vote occurs, that is the end of it. It is election day, not election week, election months, or election season.” “We have removed more than 1.5 million voters from the rolls because they moved away, passed away, or were put away (in prison),” Merrill said. Merrill said that he has a line of communication with Trump and the Trump organization. “I went to Mar-A-Lago a year ago,” Merrill said. “I am going back down to see him in the next couple of weeks.” Merrill said that Alabama’s voting machines are not hackable. “A lot of people know that none of our election equipment, our tabulators, are able to transmit data to the internet,” Merrill explained. “We had them built to a standard so that there are no modem components so that there is no internet connectivity. The only exception is for military servicemen and women. They can go to a secure website, and they can vote electronically. The reason I am not ever concerned about that being hacked is that they have secure military email accounts. We know who they are and where they are. That is an option we get our people. We led the nation in military voting in 2016.” “We provided every county a computer that is brand new – a hardened computer with preloaded data,” Merrill explained. “They can’t upload data.” Merrill said that the numbers that appear on TV on election night come from the Secretary of State’s office but do not include the official total. “That comes the next week,” Merrill explained. Merrill said that there were mistakes made during the primaries in four counties: Etowah, Calhoun, Lauderdale, and Limestone, where voters did not receive the correct ballots for their legislative districts. “There were people impacted,” Merrill admitted. “It happened in four counties. We actually terminated the registrars that were involved in those races.” “We had a race in Limestone County where somebody felt they were cheated,” Merrill said. “They missed being in the primary runoff by 14 votes. We don’t really know what would have happened,” if those voters had gotten the correct ballots. Merrill praised Chairman Paul Manning. “St. Clair county is a very fiscally sound county thanks to the leadership of Chairman Manning,” Merrill said. “While other counties are not so fiscally sound, and some counties can afford things that others can’t. The Secretary of State’s office tries to keep the voting equipment on an equal footing between the counties.” Merrill recalled when he first became Secretary of State. “We passed 16 pieces of legislation in the first year I was there,” Merrill said. “They had not passed six pieces of legislation in the previous ten years. We have passed over 50 pieces of legislation since then.” Merrill said that the Census made a number of mistakes in the 2020 census that are impacting congressional representation and are going to affect the 2024 electoral college vote. “California should have lost two electoral votes,” Merrill said. “Number two is Texas, who was undercounted.” “Alabama has been growing at a 5% clip since about 1970, but we are not growing at the same rate as the rest of the country. Georgia used to be about the same population as Alabama. Today, the Atlanta metropolitan area has more population than our entire state, and that impacted the 2020 election. Trump won 145 of the 159 counties in Georgia but lost the state.” “New York should have lost two more seats, but there is nothing that Congress can do,” Merrill said. There are ten amendments on the Tuesday ballot. Merrill said that the most important amendment is to vote for Amendment One – Aniah’s law. Merrill also urged voters to vote to ratify the recompiled state constitution; because it removes the racist language and reorganizes the state constitution so that similar issues are all near each other, Young Republican of St. Clair County Chairman Logan Glass thanked Merrill for speaking to the group and said he was a personal inspiration. Merrill is term-limited, so he cannot
Wes Allen visits all 67 counties
Republican nominee for Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced on Tuesday that he has accomplished the feat of having held campaign visits in all 67 counties. When Allen announced that he was running to become Alabama’s next Republican Secretary of State, he promised that he would campaign in all of Alabama’s 67 counties. Allen has now achieved that promise. “This is a big state,” Allen said. “I have traveled nearly 100,000 miles by car throughout this campaign, and I have now made my case on why I should be elected as Alabama’s next Secretary of State in each of Alabama’s 67 counties. Meeting voters in every county in the state was important to me, and it is important to the voters.” There is a tendency by many campaigns, given the population distribution of Alabama, to focus a campaign on the top ten counties in population, as 56.8% of Alabamians live in just ten counties. U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby and Secretary of State John Merrill have both emphasized visiting every county in the state every year. Republican nominee for Senate Katie Britt has also announced that she has visited every county in the state during this campaign. “I have visited every county, but I am not slowing down,” Allen promised. “I will campaign as hard as I possibly can until the polls close on November 8.” Wes Allen currently represents Pike and Dale Counties in the Alabama House of Representatives. Prior to that, he served as the Probate Judge of Pike County for nearly a decade. Allen is a native of Tuscaloosa County. He played football at the University of Alabama under Coaches Gene Stallings and Mike Dubose. Allen has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree from Troy University. He and his wife, Cae, live in Troy with their two children. Sec. Merrill is term-limited from running for a third consecutive term as Secretary of State. The election for Secretary of State will be determined by the voters on Tuesday, November 8. Allen faces Democratic nominee Pamela Lafitte and Libertarian nominee Matt Shelby in his bid for Secretary of State. The Alabama Republican Party has held the office of Secretary of State since 2007. In addition to selecting new leaders, Alabama voters have to vote on whether or not to ratify the 2022 compilation of the Alabama Constitution of 1901. There are also ten statewide constitutional amendments on this year’s general election ballot. Polls open at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Voters must vote at their assigned polling place and bring a valid photo ID to the polls with them. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you can get a free voter ID from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Amendment Four would ban changing Alabama election law within six months of an election
Voters will go to the polls on November 8 to elect their state, federal, and county leaders. Alabama voters will also decide what constitution they will live under for the next four years. There are a number of proposed amendments to the historic 1901 Constitution of Alabama for voters to consider. Amendment Four would forbid changes to election law within six months of any Alabama election. State Rep. Jim Carns carried the bill on the floor of the House. “This would keep the supermajority from passing a law that would benefit the supermajority within six months of an election,” Carns said. “This is to prevent this from happening in the future, and we do a lot of things to prevent things in the future.” A number of House Democrats opposed the bill. “I don’t see the need for this bill,” State Rep. Juandalynn Givan said. “You all are going to have a supermajority for a while. I continue to say that we are one second away from Jim Crow.” Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Paul DeMarco supports ratification of Amendment 4. “If approved by voters, in the future, Alabama lawmakers would have to enact any changes to election law at least six months before any election that may be affected by the new statute,” explained DeMarco. “This amendment was proposed by State Representative Jim Carns after the 2020 presidential election. Some laws governing how votes could be considered or counted were changed around the country close to the last election. Just as in football, the rules of the game should not be changed while they are playing.” “Election laws should be no different, so voters have confidence in the integrity of the results,” DeMarco continue. “It is not fair to candidates or voters when the law governing access to the ballots are altered so close to the days the polls open. Hopefully, this Amendment will pass in November to go into effect before the next set of elections.” The text of Amendment 4 stated, “Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended; to provide that the implementation date for any bill enacted by the Legislature in a calendar year in which a general election is to be held and relating to the conduct of the general election shall be at least six months before the general election. (Proposed by Act 2021-284).” “State Amendment 4, if approved, provides that the implementation date for any legislative bill passed in a calendar year in which a general election is to be held and relating to the conduct of the general election shall be at least six months before the general election,” Secretary of State John Merrill wrote on Twitter. This amendment was introduced as House Bill 388 by Carns. On April 6, 2021, the House voted in favor 75 to 24. The Senate passed the amendment on April 22, 2021, in a 25 to 4 vote. Election integrity has been a major point of discussion since the 2020 election and those disputed results. The general election is on November 8. Voters need to bring a valid photo ID with them in order to participate in the election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Five days left to apply for absentee ballot by mail for general election
On Tuesday, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill released a statement to remind Alabama voters that there are only days left in the absentee voting period for the November 8th General Election. Ahead of the November 8th General Election, Secretary Merrill reminded Alabama voters that there are just 5 days left for the Absentee Election Managers to receive an application for an absentee ballot by mail. Voters will have an additional two days to apply for an absentee ballot by hand. Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded online or requested by visiting or calling the local Absentee Election Manager’s office. Voters may also contact the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (334) 242-7210 to request an absentee ballot application. Important absentee voting deadlines include: November 1, 2022: The last day that absentee ballot applications returned by mail can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. November 3, 2022: The last day that absentee ballot applications returned by hand can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. November 7, 2022: The last day an absentee ballot returned by hand can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. November 8, 2022: Absentee ballots returned by mail must be received by the Absentee Election Manager no later than noon that day. Voters who are eligible to vote pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) will have until November 8, 2022, to postmark an absentee ballot. The absentee voting period began on September 14, 2022. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at 334-242-7210. The November 8 general election will decide important races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Lieutenant Governor, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, Public Service Commission, State Treasurer, state legislature, the state board of education, as well as numerous county officers. There are also a number of proposed constitutional amendments that are on the ballot for voters to either ratify or reject. If you are unable to vote absentee, then the polls will open on November 8 at 7:00 a.m. at your local assigned polling place and close at 7:00 p.m. Remember that in order to participate in any Alabama election, you must have a valid photo ID. If you do not have a photo ID, you may obtain a free voter ID from your local Board of Registrars or by contacting the Alabama Secretary of State’s Election division. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
John Merrill awards medal to Mike Jones
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill recognized Alabama State Representative Mike Jones Jr with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award. The NASS Medallion Award allows individual Secretaries of State to recognize outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of NASS within the states. The NASS Medallion Award was created to honor individuals, groups, or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS in one or more of the following areas: elections, with special emphasis on voter education and participation, civic education, including the teaching, promotion and study of this subject, service to state government, specifically as it relates to the duties of the office of the Secretary of State or a commitment to giving – a business or individual whose philanthropic contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of life in a local or regional area within a state or within an entire state. “I am extraordinarily appreciative to Chairman Jones for his service and contributions to District 92 and the great State of Alabama for his twelve years of service in the House of Representatives,” Merrill said in a statement. Chairman Jones works as an attorney with his own law office in Andalusia and has served as a councilman for the City of Andalusia, where he served as the mayor pro tempore, as well as a municipal judge. Jones was elected in the 2010 Republican wave election, along with Merrill, which gave Republicans control of both Houses of the Alabama Legislature for the first time in 135 years. Jones has held a number of leadership positions in the House, including Judiciary Chairman and Rules Committee Chairman. He was elected in House District 92. Merrill said that Jones has sponsored numerous bills that have greatly benefited the citizens and the great State of Alabama. Jones gave up his House seat to run for State Senate but was defeated in the Republican primary. Merrill was elected to the office of Secretary of State in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. He is term-limited from running for the office again. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Four weeks left to apply for absentee ballot for November 8 general election
The absentee voting period for the November 8th General Election began on September 14, 2022. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill released a statement on Tuesday to remind Alabama voters that there are 28 days left for the Absentee Election Managers to receive an application for an absentee ballot by mail. Voters will have an additional two days to apply for an absentee ballot by hand. Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded online or requested by visiting or calling the local Absentee Election Manager’s office. Voters may also contact the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (334) 242-7210 to request an absentee ballot application. Important absentee voting deadlines to remember include: · November 1, 2022: The last day that absentee ballot applications returned by mail can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. · November 3, 2022: The last day that absentee ballot applications returned by hand can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. · November 7, 2022: The last day an absentee ballot returned by hand can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. · November 8, 2022: Absentee ballots returned by mail must be received by the Absentee Election Manager no later than noon today. Voters who are eligible to vote pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) will have until November 8, 2022, to postmark an absentee ballot. If you know that you are going to be unable to vote at your assigned polling place on election day – Nov. 8 – between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., then apply for an absentee ballot. If you are not registered to vote, you have a deadline of October 24 to participate in the Nov. 8 general election. You must have a valid photo ID to participate in any Alabama election. If you do not have a photo ID, the Secretary of State’s office will provide you with a free voter ID. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments on case challenging Alabama redistricting
On Tuesday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case of Merrill versus Milligan. The case will decide whether or not Alabama’s redrawn congressional map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). Evan Milligan, the Director of Alabama Forward, sued in federal court, claiming that the 2021 redistricting congressional map prepared and passed by the Alabama Legislature dilutes the voting power of African Americans in the state. In Alabama, African Americans make up over 27% of the eligible voters, but six of the seven Congressional districts are majority White. Congresswoman Terri Sewell is the only African American in Alabama’s Congressional Delegation and is the only Democrat to hold any office higher than State Senator in the state of Alabama. She attended today’s oral arguments. “We in Alabama are no strangers to the fight for fair representation,” said Rep. Sewell. “After all, it was in Selma—almost six decades ago—where John Lewis and so many Foot Soldiers shed blood on a bridge for the equal right of all Americans to vote. But today, we know that old battles have become new again. As the Voting Rights Act of 1965 remains on life-support, states across the nation are racing to restrict voting access to dilute our power and erase our progress. Today, they are taking aim at one of the last remaining provisions of the VRA, Section 2.” “Fair representation matters,” continued Sewell. “I urge our Justices to do what is right and uphold the protections that our foremothers and forefathers fought so hard to secure. I also urge the Senate to do its job and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore the full power of the VRA.” In 2013 Sewell attended the oral arguments of the Supreme Court’s Shelby v. Holder case which Shelby County challenged Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, claiming that the section which required that the state get preclearance for any voting changes, including redistricting, was obsolete. The conservative majority of the Supreme Court agreed with Shelby County and the City of Calera and invalidated Section 4. The result of that decision meant that the Biden Justice Department did not have to give preclearance to the 2021 redistricting and other voting law changes that have occurred since Shelby v. Holder. Milligan and his attorneys claim that the six majority to 1 majority-minority split by the legislature (which mirrors the 2010 redistricting that was approved by the Obama Justice Department) is a violation of Section 2. Milligan and Alabama Forward argued that the state should have two Black-majority districts. John Merrill is Alabama’s Secretary of State and, as such, is tasked with being the state’s top election official. A lower court panel of three judges agreed with Milligan, but the State of Alabama appealed to the Supreme Court, resulting in a stay of the lower court decision. The state has argued that the only way to create two majority-Black districts would be to focus solely on race, which the state argues the Supreme Court has already directed them not to do. The state has also argued that such a map would unnecessarily disturb communities of interest, such as putting Baldwin and Mobile, Alabama’s two coastal counties a consideration, in different districts. The court could affirm that the Alabama Legislature got it right, or the court could order a new map to be drawn. It would be up to the court whether that new map would be drawn by the Legislature or by the court itself. Alabama Today has obtained four alternative maps that have been drawn, creating either creating two majority-minority districts or, failing that, two districts that would likely be won by a minority, including one that does not divide counties. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
35 days left to apply for an absentee ballot by mail for Nov. 8 election
The absentee voting period for the November 8 General Election began on September 14, 2022. Ahead General Election, Secretary of State John Merrill would like to remind Alabama voters that there are 35 days left for the Absentee Election Managers to receive an application for an absentee ballot by mail. Voters will have an additional two days to apply for an absentee ballot by hand. Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded online or requested by visiting or calling the local Absentee Election Manager’s office. Voters may also contact the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (334) 242-7210 to request an absentee ballot application. Important absentee voting deadlines are listed below: November 1, 2022: The last day that absentee ballot applications returned by mail can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. November 3, 2022: The last day that absentee ballot applications returned by hand can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. November 7, 2022: The last day an absentee ballot returned by hand can be received by the Absentee Election Manager. November 8, 2022: Absentee ballots returned by mail must be received by the Absentee Election Manager no later than noon today. Voters who are eligible to vote pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) will have until November 8, 2022, to postmark an absentee ballot.
“If voting is not secure then nothing is secure,” attorney states after vote counting machine lawsuit is dismissed
On Friday afternoon, Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin dismissed a lawsuit challenging the state of Alabama’s use of vote counting machines. He also dismissed a motion by the plaintiffs in the case for a preliminary injunction that would have led to the hand-counting of ballots in the general election on November 8. The plaintiffs released a statement afterward lamenting Judge Griffin’s decision to dismiss their lawsuit. “Steve Marshall, John Merrill, and the members of the electronic voting committee were provided a video of an electronic voting machine counting counterfeit ballots,” said plaintiffs’ attorney Melissa Isaak in a statement. “It was irrefutable that the machines were not functioning properly, and there has been no concern shown from any of these elected officials.” “In May of this year, John Merrill said that the “hardened” stand-alone computers used in the election “cannot be connected to the internet.” This was shown in court to be false as Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity was specifically requested in Merrill’s own purchase orders,” Isaak continued. “Plaintiffs presented the world’s top cyber security experts who testified that Alabama’s electronic voting systems are NOT secure, and even if not connected to the internet, they can still be hacked.” “We showed without dispute or opposition that the voting equipment to be used in the 2022 primary did not work properly but accepted fake ballots,” plaintiffs’ attorney Jay Hinton said. “Yet, the state used them anyway. We will continue to fight for all Alabama voters to make sure that their votes are ‘counted’ in a constitutional way.” “Voter security is the most important issue of our time. If voting is not secure – then nothing is secure,” said plaintiffs’ attorney Phillip Jauregui said. “We brought our nation’s best experts into court, and they proved that our voting systems are insecure, uncertified, and accept fake ballots. We believe the Alabama Supreme Court will apply the law to the shocking facts in this case and protect our voting rights.” Jauregui’s comments suggest that the plaintiffs intend to appeal Judge Griffin’s ruling. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit were Focus on America, former gubernatorial candidate Lindy Blanchard, State Rep. Tommy Hanes, and Dr. David Calderwood. Blanchard later stepped away from the lawsuit, suggesting that write-in gubernatorial candidates were using the lawsuit as a vehicle to promote their campaigns. Blanchard emphasized that she supports the whole Republican ticket. “I’m very disappointed in Judge Griffin’s ruling,” stated Rebecca Rogers of Focus on America. “He could have taken an epic stand for election integrity, but he chose to support the status quo instead.” “We presented evidence at the August 30 hearing that Alabama’s voting machines are vulnerable to hacking,” Rogers continued. “We know that at least some machines misread copied ballots as valid because that’s been shown to happen. With all the controversy surrounding elections today, we were asking the Judge to rule in favor of a method of counting that’s been used for centuries to give honest results–hand counting the ballots. Apparently, Judge Griffin accepted the State’s assurances that all was well and that there wasn’t anything to see here with our election machines.” Marshall, who is defending the state, asked that the case be dismissed. In the ruling, Griffin stated, “Plaintiffs fail to establish irreparable harm because their alleged injury is speculative. Further, the named Plaintiffs have failed to offer any testimony—whether by declaration or live at the hearing—to substantiate any allegations regarding their own circumstances. And without such evidence, Plaintiff has not met their burden to show that they themselves would suffer immediate and irreparable injury.” The Secretary of State’s office maintains that Alabama has the most secure voting system in the country. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Secretary of State John Merrill calls on Alabamians to serve as poll workers
On Tuesday, Secretary of State John Merrill called on Alabamians to step up to the plate and serve their community as poll workers. Poll workers are paid election officials who serve at local polling places and carry out assigned Election Day procedures. There are approximately 1,980 polling places across the State of Alabama that must be staffed each election cycle. Poll workers are required to undergo training to carry out their Election Day responsibilities. Merrill stated in a press release, “Serving as a poll worker is an amazing opportunity to learn more about the election process while contributing to your community. It is vital that Alabamians step up and become poll workers!” A poll worker application must be returned to your county Probate Judge for consideration. These are the requirements to become a poll worker: Must be a registered voter in the State of Alabama. Must be registered to vote in the county in which they desire to act as a poll worker. Must attend a mandatory poll worker training session. There are no exceptions to this requirement. Cannot be a member of a candidate’s immediate family or the second degree of kinship and cannot be a member of a candidate’s political committee. Also, high school and college students age 16 or older can apply to become student poll worker interns. Students must be recommended by a principal, another school official, or the individual responsible for the student’s home instruction program. The student poll worker application must also be returned to the county Probate Judge for consideration.
