Absentee Voting
Click Here to Print an Absentee Voting Application
ELIGIBILITY
A voter may cast an absentee ballot if he or she:
If you will be absent from the County on the election day;
If you are ill or have a physical infirmity that prevents a trip to the
polling place;
If you are a registered Alabama Voter living outside the county including
but not limited to, members of the armed forces or a U.S. citizen residing
overseas (or a spouse or dependent of such a person) or students at an
educational institution located outside their county of residence;
If you are an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling
place other than his or her regular polling place; or
If you work a required shift which has at least 10 hours that coincide
with polling hours.
BUSINESS/MEDICAL EMERGENCY VOTING applications can be made after the absentee deadline but no later than 5 pm on the day before the election, if the voter;
If you are required by an employer due to unforeseen circumstances to
be out of the county on an emergency business trip on election day; or
If you have a medical emergency requiring treatment from a licensed physician
within 5 days of an election.
In addition to application information outlined in the next section, the Business Emergency Application contains an affidavit acknowledging that the voter was not aware of the out-of-county business trip prior to the normal absentee ballot deadline. The medical emergency application requires that the attending physician describe and certify the circumstances as constituting an emergency.
CITIZENS RESIDING OVERSEAS AND THE MILITARY
Absentee balloting procedures for U.S. citizens residing overseas and military personnel are subject to change pending action by the State of Alabama to implement the requirement of the federal Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act of 2009. To keep up to date on these changes, please visit the Secretary of State’s web site (Alabamavotes.gov) or call the Elections Division at 800-274-8683.
Alabama citizens who are members of the Uniformed Services and their family members, Merchant Marines, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Alabama overseas citizens can find additional information on absentee voting on the Internet from the Office of Secretary of State at alabamavotes.gov from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) at fvap.gov. Please note that the FVAP website provides information for UOCAVA voters only.
APPLICATIONS FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS
Applications submitted by military personnel and U.S. citizens residing
overseas are valid for a period of two election cycles. However, these
voters should ensure that they keep their mailing addresses updated with
the Pike County Board of Registrars and with the Absentee Election Manager.
ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION
To obtain an absentee ballot, write or visit our Circuit Clerk Jamie Scarbrough to request an absentee ballot or visit her website http://pike.alacourt.gov :
*It is not necessary to give a party choice for a general election; however, in a party primary a voter may participate in only one political party’s primary; thus a choice must be designated so that the appropriate ballot can be provided. If the voter declines or fails to designate a choice for a primary or primary runoff ballot, the absentee election may send only the ballot for constitutional amendments.
The absentee ballot application must be returned to the Absentee Election Manager by the voter in person (or by the voter’s designee in the case of medical emergency voting) or by U.S. Mail.
Upon receiving the absentee ballot application, the Absentee Election Manager may request additional evidence on the reason for voting absentee if the voter has a history of continuous absentee voting.
Application for Military Personnel and Overseas Citizens
Applications submitted by military personnel and U.S. citizens residing
overseas are valid for a period of two election cycles. However, these
voters should ensure that they keep their mailing addresses updated with
the Pike County Board of Registrars and with the Absentee Election Managers.
BALLOT RECEIPT/RETURN
If the absentee ballot application is approved, the Absentee Election
Manger:
forwards the
absentee ballot by U.S. Mail; or
personally hands
the absentee ballot to the voter (or to a designee in the case of medical
emergency voting).
Ballot Procedure – The absentee ballot comes with three envelopes – one plain (the secrecy envelope), one with an affidavit, or oath, printed on the outside, and one plain, preaddressed envelope (the outer envelope). Once the voter casts the ballot, the procedure is as follows:
seal the ballot
in the plain envelope
place the plain
envelope inside the accompanying affidavit envelope
seal the affidavit
envelope and complete the affidavit that is on the outside of the envelope.
sign the affidavit
and have the signature witnessed by either a notary public or two witnesses
18 years of age or older.
place the affidavit
envelope and a COPY of voter identification inside the outer envelope.
remember to place
a copy of your ID (NOT THE ORIGINAL) inside the outer envelope
Witness or Notarization An absentee ballot cannot be counted unless the affidavit is notarized or has the signatures of two witnesses.
Submitting the Voted Ballot The voter is required to use on of the following
methods for returning his or her absentee ballot:
send the ballot
to the Absentee Election Manager by U.S. Mail; or
personally deliver
the ballot to the Absentee Election Manager (or by a designee in the case
of medical emergency voting).
Voting Deadline - An absentee ballot returned by mail must be postmarked no later than the day prior to the election. If hand-delivered, the ballot must be in the office of the Absentee Election Manager by the close of business (but no later than 5 p.m.) on the day prior to the election. The absentee ballot must be received by the absentee election manager by noon on the election day if the ballot is mailed.
For more information about absentee voting in Pike County, you may contact:
Jamie Neeley Scarbrough, Absentee Election Manager
Circuit Clerks Office, Pike County Courthouse
120 W. Church Street
Troy, AL 36081
Telephone: 334-566-5113
Email: jamie.scarbrough@alacourt.gov
Website: http://pike.alacourt.gov
Absentee voting begins 45 days prior to an election in County and State
Election.
Absentee voting begins 35 days prior to an election in a Municipal Election.
Credits: Secretary of State of Alabama – Elections Division
Legal Disclaimer: This document is not a substitute for the CODE OF ALABAMA. It is provided as a guide and is not intended to be an authoritative statement of law. For further legal information, please consult the CODE OF ALABAMA or other appropriate legal resources.