When does absentee voting start?
The next Pickens County election is November 8, 2022. The Probate Judge is required by law to provide ballots and supplies to the Absentee Election Manager 55 days before an election. Ballots are not expected to be mailed before September 14, 2022. In person voting will not begin before Wednesday September 14, 2022.
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What are the qualifications for obtaining an absentee ballot?
QUALIFICATIONS FOR A TRADITIONAL ABSENTEE BALLOT §17-10-3, Code of Alabama
- The voter expects to be out of the county or state on Election Day.
- The voter is physically incapacitated and will not be able to vote in person on Election Day.
- The voter expects to work a shift which has at least (10) hours that coincide with the polling hours at their regular polling place.
- The voter is a student at and educational institution located outside the county of their permanent residence; and are, therefore, unable to vote at their usual polling place on Election Day.
- The voter is a member of, or the spouse of a member of, the armed forces of the United States or are otherwise entitled to vote by absentee pursuant the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42, U.S.C. 1973ff.
- The voter has been appointed as an election officer at a polling place which is not their regular polling place.
- The voter is a caregiver for a family member to the second degree of kinship who is confined to their home.
- 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
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Am I eligible to vote absentee?
If you are registered to vote in Pickens County and meet one of the above requirements, then you are eligible. If you are not registered to vote in Pickens County, you will need to contact the Board of Registrars at (205) 367-2071 to register. The last day to register to vote, or change your voter information, for the November 8, 2022 General Election is October 24, 2022. You can download a voter registration form here. It should be mailed to the Board of Registrars at P.O. Box 173 Carrollton, Alabama 35447.
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How do I apply for an absentee ballot?
You can call Keith (Booty) Cox, Absentee Election Manager at (205) 367-2050 or come by and pick up an application at the County Courthouse. You can also download the form available in the alabamavotes.gov Absentee Voting Files or find it on the Clerk's FaceBook page, Pickens County Alabama Circuit Clerk. PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU FILL OUT AND MAIL IN YOUR APPLICATION. A valid photo identification must be submitted with the application, unless the voter is exempt.
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Where do I mail the application?
The application must be submitted to: Keith (Booty) Cox, Absentee Election Manager, 20 Phoenix Ave. P.O. Box 418 Carrollton, Al 35447. An application can be submitted by U.S Mail or commercial carrier. By law (AG Opinion 82-551), each application must be mailed in a separate envelope. Multiple applications (even for husband and wife) which are mailed in the same envelope will be returned to the voter. A valid photo identification must be submitted with the applications, unless the voter is exempt. Applications cannot be faxed to the Absentee Election Manager. For voter applications and absentee applications visit: AlabamaVotes.gov.
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What is the deadline for voting absentee?
The last day applications can be received by mail or commercial carrier is Tuesday November 1, 2022, postmarks cannot be considered, your application must be physically received on this date.
The last day a voter can hand deliver an application or vote in person at the office of the Absentee Election Manager is Thursday, November 3, 2022.
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Can I vote absentee in person?
Yes, you can come by the Absentee Election Manager's office Monday through Friday 8:00AM - 12:00PM and 1:00PM - 4:30PM (except holidays) and make application and vote while you are in the office. The cut-off date is November 3, 2022. The address is 20 Phoenix Ave. Carrollton, AL (Pickens County Judicial Building). The office will be closed for holidays on Monday October 10, 2022.
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Do I need an ID to vote absentee?
Yes, you will need to present one of the following forms of ID before you can vote:
- A valid Alabama Driver's License
- A valid Alabama Non-driver ID
- A valid free Alabama Photo Voter ID card
- A valid State issued ID (Alabama or any other state)
- A valid Federal issued ID
- A valid U.S. Passport
- A valid employee ID from the Federal Government, State of Alabama, County, Municipality, Board or other entity of this state
- A valid student or employee ID from a public or private college/university in the State of Alabama
- A valid student or employee ID issued by a state institution of higher learning in any other state
- A valid military ID
- A valid Tribal ID
A voter who does not have a valid form of photo ID can vote a regular ballot if he/she is positively identified by two election officials. If the voter does not have a valid form of photo ID and cannot be positively identified by two election officials, he/she may vote a provisional ballot.
Exemptions:
A voter who is a member of the military or who resides overseas and is eligible to vote by absentee ballot pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act is not required to provide ID when voting an absentee ballot.
A voter who is entitled to vote by absentee ballot pursuant to the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act or any other federal law shall not be required to produce identification when voting by absentee ballot. Voters who fall under this category can check a box on their absentee ballot application which will indicate that their polling place is inaccessible and they are elderly (65 or older) or are disabled.
For more information on Voter ID, you can go to www.alabamavoterid.com.
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If I am voting absentee by mail, when do I send in the copy of my ID?
A valid photo identification must be submitted with the application for an absentee ballot.
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How do I find out where my voting precinct is?
You can call the Pickens County Board of Registrars at (205) 367-2071 for information on your voting precinct.
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Does my absentee ballot have to be witnessed or notarized?
Yes, by law, your ballot must either be notarized OR witnessed by two people 18 years of age or older. These may be other family members. If your ballot has not been notarized or witnessed by 2 people, it will not be counted.
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I have a relative serving in the military, how can they vote absentee?
They need to contact the military voting assistance officer and request Standard Form 76-A which is a Federal Post Card Absentee Ballot Request. It is postage pre-paid. These applications are good for 2 federal election cycles, so once this application is received, the applicant will automatically be mailed a ballot for upcoming elections they are eligible to vote in. For more information, go to fvap.gov. You can also download an Absentee Ballot Application from this website. The Absentee Election Manager should be notified if there is a change of address of military voter between elections. Since Form 76-A is good for 4 years, this is important in getting their ballot to the correct address. Unless we are otherwise notified, ballots will be mailed to the same address for 4 years. At this time, Alabama law, AG Opinion 04-209, does not allow voting by either fax or e-mail by military personnel.
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I have power-of-attorney for a relative, can I vote for him/her?
No, the law does not allow a person to vote for someone else (AG Opinion 84-359).
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I have moved since the last election, how will this affect my ability to vote absentee?
You need to get in touch with the Board of Registrars at (205) 367-2071 and update your address. If your application address is different from the residence address on file with the Board of Registrars, you will have to vote a Provisional Ballot.
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Do I have to file a new application for every election?
The law states that any elections which are 42 days apart must have a new application (except military absentee applications).
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What if I find out after the Thursday afternoon deadline that I have to go out of the county for employment reasons?
The law provides for a voter to vote business emergency if you find out after the Thursday deadline that you have to go out of the county or state for business reasons. You can go to the Absentee Election Manager's Office and vote in person on Thursday and Monday before the Tuesday election (unless either of these two days is a federal/state holiday).
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Must I declare a particular party to vote?
To vote in the Primary Election, you must designate the party which you wish to receive a ballot for. You cannot vote a Republican and a Democrat ballot. For any run-off election, you must vote in the same party election that you did in the primary. If you did not vote in the primary, you can vote in either run-off election. In the General Election in November, you can vote for candidates from any of the parties on the ballot.
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Who do I contact to vote absentee in city elections?
You need to call your city clerk at the city hall in the municipality you live in.
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