By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
If anyone needs to register to vote or needs a valid voter ID to participate in the election process, the Secretary of State’s office (which is canvassing the whole state) will be in Lee and Macon Counties today, October 14 and in Lamar County on October 15.
The Secretary of State’s office announced that in a continuing effort to ensure that all eligible Alabama citizens are given an opportunity to vote, Alabama’s Secretary of State John H. Merrill has asked the members of the Legislature to provide three separate and specific days of the week, times, and venues in their areas where the Secretary of State’s office may hold a drive for voter registration and photo I.D issuance.
The Alabama Secretary of State’s upcoming registration events will be held on October 14 in Lee County at 10:00 a.m. at Smiths Station City Hall, October 14 in Macon County at 1:00 p.m. at Notasulga Town Hall and October 15 in Lamar County at 11:00 a.m. at the Sulligent Community Center.
Since June 3, 2014, Alabama has required voters to present a valid form of photo ID in order to participate in any election. Acceptable forms of photo ID accepted at the polls include: driver’s license; Alabama photo voter ID card; state issued ID (any state); federal issued ID; US passport; employee ID from Federal Government, State of Alabama, County, Municipality, Board, or other entity of this state; student or employee ID from a public or private college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools); Military ID; or Tribal ID.
To receive a free Alabama photo voter ID card, a citizen must be a registered voter and must not have one of the valid forms of photo ID listed above.
To apply for the free Alabama photo voter ID, a voter must show: a photo ID document or a non-photo identity document that contains full legal name and date of birth; documentation showing the voter’s date of birth; documentation showing the person is a registered voter; and documentation showing the voter’s name and address as reflected in the voter registration record. A citizen’s name, address, and voter registration status can be verified by the Secretary of State’s Staff, using the statewide voter registration system.
Examples of non-photo ID documents that can be used in applying for a free Alabama photo voter ID card include a birth certificate, marriage record, Social Security Administration document, hospital or nursing home record, Medicare or Medicaid document, or an official school record or transcript.
Critics of Alabama’s voter ID law claim that this is an attempt to suppress poor and under privileged voters from being able to participate in the voting process.
