Municipal elections coming in August
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Qualifying begins June 10
By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
With the first month of the new year already halfway over, municipal elections are fast approaching.
Municipal elections for the majority of cities and towns in Alabama will be held August 26. For Coosa County, this means that Goodwater, Kellyton and Rockford will hold elections for mayor and town council positions, with many important dates to keep in mind for candidates and voters alike.
There is a short window for qualifying, as each mayor is to give notice of the election on June 10, and candidates may begin qualifying at the respective town hall once notice is published. The last day to qualify for the municipal election is June 24 by 5 p.m.
Per Section 11-46-22 of the Code of Alabama regarding notice of elections, it is the duty of the mayor of each municipality to “give notice of all municipal elections by publishing notice thereof in a newspaper published in the city or town, and, if no newspaper is published in the city or town, then by posting notices thereof in three public places in the city or town.”
Candidates then begin to qualify after the notice of the election has been given by each mayor. Any qualified voter who has resided within the municipality for at least 90 days as of election day may qualify to run for office by filing the appropriate forms and paying appropriate fees.
For council positions in municipalities which have districts or wards, the candidate seeking office for a council position must qualify to run for the district or ward in which they reside.
All registered and qualified voters who reside within the corporate limits of a municipality and have resided there for at least 30 days preceding the election date are qualified to cote in the municipal election. This means that May 28 is the last day a person can become a resident of the municipality and district to become a candidate.
February 26 is the last day a town council can change the salaries for officials who will be elected in August and the last day for the council to decide whether to elect council members at large or from districts. May 26 is the last day for the council to change its district lines.
June 5 is the last day that the council can adopt an ordinance establishing qualification fees for the upcoming election.
After qualifying closes on June 24, June 30 is the last day for a municipal clerk who receives qualification papers from candidates to notify the Alabama Ethics Commission of the candidate’s name and the date they became a candidate.
All candidates must file a Statement of Economic Interests form with the Alabama Ethics Commission in order to appear on the ballot. For questions regarding that form, candidates are asked to call the Alabama Ethics Commission at 334-242-2997 or email candidates@ethics.alabama.gov.
On July 15 the mayor must file a list of qualified voters with the clerk. If the mayor is a candidate in the election, then the council must appoint a qualified person to perform this duty instead.
July 25 is the last day municipalities are to display sample ballots, and July 27 is the last day to establish residency to vote in the municipal general election.
The last day to register to vote for the municipal general election is August 11.
Additionally, August 11 is also the last day for the council to appoint election officials. Municipal clerks must hold an election school for individuals appointed as election officials and must notify the official that they have been selected at least 48 hours before the school is scheduled.
August 12 is the first day to publicly test electronic vote counters, per the Electronic Voting Rule. August 15 is the last day to publish lists of the election officers and the voting places to which they are assigned.
Falling shortly before election day, August 21 is the last day for a voter to hand deliver an application for an absentee ballot, the last day the municipality can publish a list of qualified voters and the last day to conduct a training school for officials who will conduct an election using electronic voting machines.
On August 26, all polling places in the municipalities will be open for voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election officials must meet at their respective polling places at least 30 minutes prior to polls opening.
Candidates may appoint a poll watcher to observe voting procedures in the polling place. The appointment must be made in writing, signed by the candidate, and filed with the election officials at the polling place.
Precinct counters must be tested according to the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure they are set at zero and prepared for voting.
Regarding absentee ballots, any absentee ballots returned by mail must be received no later than noon on election day. Beginning at 7 a.m., the municipal clerk shall deliver the sealed affidavit envelopes containing absentee ballots to the absentee election officials.
The canvassing of the election results will take place at 12 p.m. on September 2. If a candidate receives a majority of votes cast for an office, the council will issue a certificate of election. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, then the council will order a run-off election to be held.
In the event that a run-off election is needed, the municipal run-off election will be held September 23. The last day to register to vote for the run-off election is September 8. The canvassing of election results for the run-off election will then be held September 30, with the election canvass commencing at 12 p.m.
September 4 is the deadline for anyone with standing to contest the election to request a recount. September 8 is the last day a candidate may contest the results of the general municipal election.
Following the canvassing of results, newly elected municipal officials will take office on November 3, the first Monday in November following the election. This is also the date that the council will meet for its organizational session.
In providing information to town and election officials, Judge of Probate Richard Dean explained that if a candidate fails to comply with the Fair Campaign Practices Act filing requirements for the Statement of Economic Interest, then the candidate is ineligible to appear on the ballot.
Additionally, municipal candidates no longer file any reports with the probate judge. Rather, they are to deal directly with the secretary of state’s office and the Ethics Commission.
Municipalities within Coosa County that wish to use vote tabulating machines are asked to contact the county administrator to make that request as soon as possible and to coordinate delivery and pickup with the sheriff if utilizing the county’s tabulating machines.
To register to vote or view other voting information, visit the secretary of state’s website at www.alabamavotes.gov.
