By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Friday, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill announced that voters located in parts of Morgan and Limestone County, and in Montgomery, will have an additional race to vote for when they head to the polls on Dec. 12 to vote in the special general election for U.S. Senate.
Those voters that reside in state House District 4 and Senate District 26 will take the first step in determining who will represent them in Montgomery in the state House of Representatives and the state Senate, respectively.
“All voters who wish to participate in the two elections will be required to check in, receive their ballot, vote, and turn their completed ballot into the machine designated for the U.S. Senate Special General Election and then will be required to separately check in, receive their ballot, vote, and turn their completed ballot into the machine designated the State House primary election,” Merrill said.
“This uncommon practice and process of separate elections is required because the two elections are separate and unrelated and are at different stages requiring different information to be recorded,” Merrill said. “The Alabama State House races require different sets of poll workers to document the voters party affiliation however no party affiliation is required or documented for the U.S. Senate Special General Election.”
The state’s new crossover voting law does not apply to the U.S. Senate special general election.
House District 4 will be having a primary to fill the remainder of state Rep. Mickey Hammon’s, R-Decatur, term. Hammon pleaded guilty to campaign finance law violations.
State Senate District 26 will be having a primary to fill the remainder of state Sen. Quinton Ross’s, D-Montgomery, term. Ross resigned from his post to accept a job as the president of Alabama State University.
Thursday is the last day that you can vote absentee.
“If you cannot get to the polls on Dec. 12 for the VITAL U.S. Senate election, you can vote absentee. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is this Thursday, Dec. 7,” state Auditor Jim Zeigler said.
Remember that to vote in Alabama, you must have a valid photo ID.
Forms of photo ID accepted at the polls are any of the following valid documents: 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.
Persons without a valid photo ID can get an Alabama photo voter ID card for free from their Board of Registrars.
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.
The entire state votes in the December 12 special election for U.S. Senate. Clinton era U.S. Attorney Doug Jones faces former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore for the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions.
