Special to Atmore News
Escambia County Circuit Clerk John R. Fountain has released the following information on absentee voting for the March 2020 primary and state runoff election.
Qualified voters can apply for an absentee ballot that can be cast by mail, commercial carrier or in person at the absentee election manager’s office, if he or she makes application in writing not less than five days prior to the election and meets one of the following requirements:
A. The voter expects to be out of the county or state on Election Day.
B. The voter has any physical illness or infirmity which prevents his or her attendance at the polls, whether he or she is within or without the county on the day of election.
C. The voter expects to work a shift which has at least 10 hours which coincide with the hours the polls are open at his or her regular polling place.
D. The voter is enrolled as a student at an educational institution located outside the county of his or her personal residence (attendance) at which prevents his or her attendance at the polls.
E. The voter is a member of, or spouse or dependent of a member of, the armed forces of the United States or is similarly qualified to vote absentee pursuant to the Federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff.
F. The voter has been appointed as an election officer or named as a poll watcher at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place.
G. The voter is a caregiver for a family member to the second degree of kinship who is confined to their home.
H. The voter is incarcerated in prison or jail, but has not been disqualified by conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude as defined by T17-3-30.1
Absentee applications are available at the Absentee Election Managers Office or online at www.alabamavotes.gov.
Under ACT 2019-507, absentee ballot applications must now be accompanied by a copy of current, valid photo identification, unless the voter is exempt from the identification requirement. Failing to provide the identification will result in your ballot becoming a provisional ballot.
Applications for absentee voting are available from the following:
• Absentee election manager’s office (Escambia County Circuit Clerk John R. Fountain, 314 Belleville Ave. Suite 215 Brewton, AL 36426)
• Secretary of State’s web page: www.alabamavotes.gov
• United States Armed Forces members, including spouses, should contact their commanding Officer for an application or may go online
www.alabamavotes.gov
Note: To be issued an absentee ballot in primary elections voters must specify on the application if they want a Democrat or Republican ballot.
Please note the following dates:
• Saturday January 18, 2020 Absentee voting Statewide Primary Election
• Monday January 20, 2020 STATE HOLIDAY Martin Luther King Birthday
• Friday February 14, 2020 Last day to hand deliver voter registration to Board of Registrars for Primary Election
• Monday February 17, 2020 STATE HOLIDAY Washington / Jefferson Birthday
• Thursday February 27, 2020: last day voters may apply for a regular absentee ballot for the PRIMARY Election.
• Monday, March 2, 2020: Last day voters can return in person, his or her regular absentee ballot. No one, not even a family member, can return another person’s ballot, (except a medical emergency voter named designee).
* ALSO, mailed ballots must be postmarked by the United State Postal Service no later than this date.
• TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020 ELECTION DAY:
* Mailed ballots must be received in mail no later than noon this date.
* Voted medical emergency ballots delivered by the voter’s designee, must be received no later than noon today.
• THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020: Last day to apply for an absentee ballot for the PRIMARY RUNOFF election.
• TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020: PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION DAY
For more information about absentee voting, go to alabamavotes.gov.