When does absentee voting start?
The Probate Judge is required by law to provide ballots and supplies to the Absentee Election Manager 55 days before an election.
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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 will 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 works 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.
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Am I eligible to vote absentee?
If you are registered to vote in Coffee County and meet one of the above requirements, then you are eligible. If you are not registered to vote in Coffee County, you will need to contact the Board of Registrars at (334) 894-5347 to register. By law the cut-off date to register to be eligible to vote in an upcoming election is 10 days before the election. You can download a voter registration form here. It should be mailed to the Board of Registrars at 1065 E McKinnon St. New Brockton, AL 36351.
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How do I apply for an absentee ballot?
You can call Absentee Election Manager at (334) 894-1100 or come by and pick up an application at the office of the Absentee Election Manager, 1065 E McKinnon St. New Brockton, AL 36351. You can also download the form available in the AlabamaVotes.gov. PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU FILL OUT AND MAIL IN YOUR APPLICATION.
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Where do I mail the application?
The application must be mailed to: Absentee Election Manager, P.O. Box 427 New Brockton, AL 36351. 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. 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 cut-off date is 5 days before an election. Since elections are typically held on a Tuesday, this would be on the preceding Thursday. Your application must be received in the office on or before this date for me to be able to mail you a ballot, or you can vote in person at the office of the Absentee Election Manager.
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What if my application is postmarked Thursday?
Your application must physically be in the Absentee Election Manager's office on Thursday. That is the cut-off date for mailing a ballot.
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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 - 4:30PM (except on holidays) and make application and vote while you are in the office. The cut-off date is Thursday (five days before an election). The address is 1065 E McKinnon St. New Brockton, AL 36351.
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Do I need an ID to vote absentee?
Yes, you will need to present form of ID.
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If I am voting absentee by mail, when do I send in the copy of my ID?
When you submit an Absentee Application attach a copy of your ID with it.
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How do I find out where my voting precinct is?
You can call the Coffee County Board of Registrars at (334) 894-5347 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.
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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, but military and overseas voters can request to receive their ballots electronically. Once the ballot is received, it should be mailed to the Absentee Election Manager.
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I have power-of-attorney for a relative, can I vote for them?
No, at this time the law (AG Opinion 84-359) does not allow a person to vote for someone else.
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I have moved since the last election, how will this affect my being able to vote absentee?
You need to get in touch with the Board of Registrars at (334) 894-5347 and update your address. If I receive your application and the residence address is different than what is 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 30 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. 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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