Zeigler calls Alabama’s low voter turnout “discouraging;” has plan to improve it
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Plan ‘Don’t Vote, Don’t Complain’
Special to the News
Secretary of State candidate Jim Zeigler called the 23% voter turnout in Alabama’s May primary “discouraging.” However, he says he has a plan to improve voter turnout if elected.
“Of every four people you run into, three of them did not vote at all,” Zeigler said.
Zeigler led the May primary for secretary of state with 43%, but 50% plus one vote was required for the nomination. He faces a runoff June 21 with state Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, who received 39%.
In Coosa County, Zeigler received 55% to Allen’s 29%.
Zeigler was born and raised in Sylacauga. His family has a house in Coosa County on Penamotley Creek. He says he considers Coosa County “his second home.”
The secretary of state is Alabama’s chief elections officer. The office is an open seat with incumbent Secretary John Merrill term limited from running again.
“The current secretary of state’s office ran a successful program to increase voter registration,” Zeigler said. “The result was that Alabama now has the highest percentage of registered voters in its history and one of the highest in the nation. But registration is not the problem now – lack of turnout is. Voters not turning out on election day is a major challenge.”
“When voters don’t turn out, the wrong person can get elected – a candidate who does not stand for the majority of the people,” Zeigler added. “A turnout of 10% to 15% has been predicted for the June 21 runoff.”
Zeigler says his plan is modeled after Alabama’s successful campaign that increased voter registration. “My plan is named ‘Don’t Vote, Don’t Complain.’ It will involve churches, employers, TV and radio personalities, athletes, celebrities, and civic groups. The goal is to double voter turnout within four years. It is an achievable goal,” Zeigler said.
“If elected, I would become secretary of state in January 2023. I will have a trial version of the plan ready by the first special election. I will seek to have the plan active in all counties by the vital 2024 presidential election,” he said. “I expect the naysayers to say this plan is silly or impossible. I will ignore them while getting it done.”
Zeigler went on to state, “Over the next eight years, the job of secretary of state will be vital. We face national attempts to manipulate honest election procedures. Alabama needs a proven fighter against government overreach to be our fighting secretary of state.”
We face attempts to allow non-citizens to vote. Zeigler will fight against that. Only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections.
We face efforts to change ‘election day’ to ‘election week’ or ‘election month.’ Zeigler will fight against that. We need to be vigilant against those who would vote early and often.
We face assaults against our requirement for photo voter ID. Zeigler will fight to keep and enforce our voter ID requirements.
We face ballot harvesting, automatic voter registration on election day, drive-by drop-off ballot boxes, and voting by mail. A vote for Jim Zeigler is a vote against all these methods of manipulation.
“As your state auditor, I led the fight against waste, mismanagement and corruption,” Zeigler stated. “As your secretary of state, I can apply that same approach to fight the manipulation of our elections.
“As your state auditor, some people called me ‘the watchman.’ I will continue as your watchman over the election process as secretary of state.
“Election integrity may be the most important single issue. The reason is this: If we lose our ability to elect or defeat officials, then all other issues will have lost accountability to the people. We would have government of the manipulators, by the manipulators and for the manipulators. A vote for Jim Zeigler is a vote against election by manipulation.”