Municipal election open for candidates

Published 3:40 pm Tuesday, July 7, 2020

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The first day to qualify for the upcoming Brewton and East Brewton municipality elections was Tuesday, July 7. Both mayors gave notice of the election on Tues., and candidates for all city offices began qualifying at the respective City Halls.
For city of East Brewton, all seats are available. The incumbents include: Mayor Terry Clark, Ned Siebert, place 1; Kenny Hultz, place 2; Ludon Simmons, place 3; Bob Arrant, place 4; Byron Palmer, place 5. At the time of press Mayor Terry Clark; Ned Siebert, place 1; Bob Arrant, place 4; and John Stevens, place 5 had qualified for the election.
For the city of Brewton, at the time of press, there was no information to share. Updates will be shared via the website when made available.
The deadline to qualify for both city elections is July 21 at 5 p.m.
The Alabama League of Municipalities election calendar for all municipalities in the State of Alabama is as follows:
JULY 7, 2020: Mayor gives notice of the election. §11-46-22(a). Candidates may begin qualifying at city hall once notice is published. Candidates must file a Statement of Economic Interests form with the ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION in order to appear on the ballot. §36-25-15(a). For questions regarding the Statement of Economic Interests, please call the Alabama Ethics Commission at 334-242-2997.
JULY 21, 2020: • Last day, by 5:00 p.m., to qualify to run for municipal office. §11-46-25(g). • Mayor must file a list of qualified voters with the clerk. §11-46-36. If the mayor is a candidate in the election, the council must appoint a qualified person to perform this duty. §11-46-37.
JULY 26, 2020: • Last day to establish residency to vote in the municipal general election. §11-46-38(b). • Last day to display sample ballot. §11-46-31.
JULY 27, 2020: • Last day for candidates who qualified on July 21, to file an Appointment of Principal Campaign Committee form with the PROBATE JUDGE. §17-5-4. • Last day for clerk who received qualification papers from candidates on July 21, to notify the Alabama Ethics Commission the name of the candidate and the date on which the person became a candidate. §36-25-15(b).
JULY 28, 2020: Mayor must deliver absentee election supplies to the municipal clerk. §17-11-12. AUGUST 10, 2020: • Last day for the council to appoint election officials. §11-46-27. • Last day to register to vote for the municipal general election. §§17-3-50, 11-46-38.
AUGUST 11, 2020: First day to publicly test electronic vote counters. The test must be conducted as close as practicable to the date of the election and be open to the public. Rule 307-X-1-.04, Alabama Administrative Code. The League recommends forty-eight (48) hours public notice of the test.
AUGUST 14, 2020: Last day to publish lists of the election officers and the voting places to which they are assigned. Section §11-46-27.
AUGUST 17, 2020: Beginning on this day, any absentee applicant who has not included a copy of acceptable ID but who is otherwise qualified to vote shall be issued a provisional absentee ballot. ACT 2019-509.
AUGUST 20, 2020: • Last day for a voter to apply for a regular absentee ballot. §17-11-3(a). • Last day to publish the list of qualified voters. §11-46-36. • Last day to conduct a training school for officials who will conduct an election using electronic voting machines, not less than five (5) days before an election. §17-8-9.
AUGUST 24, 2020: • Last day, up to the close of business, for a voter to apply for and submit an emergency absentee ballot if he or she: (1) is required by employer to be unavailable to vote at the polls; (2) is a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment within five days of an election; or (3) has a family member to the 2nd degree of kinship who dies within 5 days of the election. §17-11-3(d) as amended by ACT 2019-509. • Last day, up to the close of business, for a voter to hand-deliver absentee ballot. §§17-11-3(c), 17-11-18. • If an absentee ballot is returned by mail, it must be postmarked by August 24 and received by noon the day of the election. §§17-11-3(c), 17-11-18.
AUGUST 25, 2020: • ELECTION DAY. §11-46-21. • NOTE: Polls must be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. A municipality may set those times under Eastern Standard Time (EST) if the municipality operates on EST. §11-46-28. • Election officials must meet at their respective polling places at least 30 minutes before polls open. §11-46-28. • NOTE: 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. Poll watchers should be sworn in at the same time as the election officials. §11-46-35. 2020 Municipal Election Calendar Page 2 of 3 • The clerk must ensure that all ballots, boxes and supplies are provided at each polling place. §11-46-33. • Precinct counters must be tested according to the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that they are set at zero and prepared for voting. Rules 307-X-1-.11, Alabama Administrative Code. • Deadline for returning absentee ballots by mail or an emergency absentee ballot for a registered voter who requires emergency treatment by a licensed physician within 5 days of the election is 12:00 noon. §7-11-18. • Beginning at 12:00 noon, the clerk shall deliver the sealed affidavit envelopes containing absentee ballots to the absentee election officials. §17-11-10.
AUGUST 26, 2020: • Deadline for the absentee election manager to notify voters whose absentee ballots have become provisional due to the inspector’s personal knowledge that voter was not eligible to vote by mailing a copy of the challenge statement of the inspector by the day after the election. §17-10-2(c)(3)(b). • Deadline, no later than noon, for municipal clerk to deliver written affirmations of provisional voters, inspector challenge statements, and all voter re-identification forms to the board of registrars. §17-10-2(d). AUGUST 28, 2020: Last day, no later than 5:00 p.m., for an absentee voter who was required to provide identification but failed to provide it before the election to submit identification to the board of registrars. §17-10-2(c)(1)(b)(2).
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020: • CANVASSING OF ELECTION RESULTS. • Commencing at noon, the council must canvass the election results. If a candidate receives a majority of the votes cast for the office, the council issues a certificate of election. If no candidate receives a majority, the council shall order a run-off election to be held. §§11-46-55, 11-46-46.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2020: Deadline for anyone with standing to contest the election to request a recount (must be within 48 hours of the official canvass on September 1). §11-46-55.1.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2020: Last day a candidate may contest the results of the general election. §11-46-69.
NOVEMBER 2, 2020: • Newly elected municipal officials take office. §11-46-21(c). • Council meets for its organizational session. §11-43-44.