Absentee Voting

Mary H. Harris Absentee Election Manager P.O. Box 1810 Columbiana, AL 35051 Phone: (205) 669-3779

Applications for absentee ballots must be filed in the office of the Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk not less than five (5) days prior to the Election. The deadline to apply is Thursday, October 30, 2008 by 4:30 pm. You may vote medical and business emergency, if you qualify, on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 and Monday, November 3, 2008. The business emergency application requires that you sign an affidavit stating you were not aware until after the October 30th deadline that you had to go out of town on business.

Any qualified elector of this State may vote an Absentee ballot, provided they meet the requirements (17-10-1 et seq., Code of Alabama), as contained in the application, which is available in the office of the Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk, located in Room 128 of the Shelby County Courthouse, 112 North Main Street, Columbiana, Ala. 35051. Applications are also available for download in the Absentee Section of the website.

After completing and signing the application, the voter may hand the application to the Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk or forward it by U.S. Mail. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO BRING IN AN APPLICATION FOR ANOTHER PERSON (not even a family member - [ AG Opinion 90-387]), the only exception being a Designee for a Medical Emergency. By law, the Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk can only accept one application per envelope ( AG Opinion 82-551 ) that is received by U.S. Mail. The application must provide the Alabama residence address where the voter is registered to vote, even if the ballot is to be mailed to another address where the applicant/voter regularly receives mail.

The Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk may hand the ballot to the applicant/voter, or forward it by U.S. Mail to the applicant's/voter's residence address or upon written request to the address where the applicant/voter regularly receives mail. NO ONE CAN RECEIVE OR RETURN A BALLOT FOR ANY OTHER PERSON (not even a family member), exception being a Designee for Medical Emergency. INSTRUCTIONS WILL ACCOMPANY EACH BALLOT AND MUST BE FOLLOWED CAREFULLY TO INSURE THAT YOUR BALLOT IS COUNTED.

A copy of identification (§ 17-10A-1, Code of Alabama) must accompany the ballot. The law provides for Provisional Ballot where:

1. identification is not properly provided.
2. the voter is not identified as appearing in the precinct for which the voter seeks a ballot.
3. an absentee precinct inspector or clerk has knowledge that the individual is not entitled to vote at the precinct applicable to the voter's ballot and challenges the voter's right to vote a particular ballot. The law provides ways for voters to correct deficiencies so that provisional ballots can be counted. Section 17-10A-2, Code of Alabama.

Ballots must be returned by the voter in person to the Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk's office no later than 4:30 pm on Monday, November 3, 2008, or,if mailed, must be postmarked no later than one day prior to the election and received in the mail no later than noon November 4, 2008. Business emergency ballots must be voted in the office in person and handed to the Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk. Medical emergency ballots must be returned no later than noon on Election Day.( AG Opinion 03-036 )

Any person desiring to vote Absentee may come by the Circuit Clerk's office, Room 128 in the Shelby County Courthouse, 112 North Main Street, Columbiana, Ala. 35051. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1810, Columbiana, Ala. 35051.

If you need further information about voting Absentee, you may call Circuit Clerk/Absentee Election Manager Mary H. Harris at the Circuit Clerk's office, (205) 669-3779 or the main office line 669-3760 and press 0 for the operator..

Please Note: If you do not know your voting precinct you can call the Board of Registrars at (205) 669-3913 for this information. Please update your address prior to applying for an Absentee ballot so that you will receive the correct ballot for your current address.