Decided to vote Absentee (Huntsville, Madison: home, live, safe)

[MisterEd51]

I have always voted in person and planned on doing the same this year. I finally came to the realization that because of Covid-19 and social-distancing the voting lines would probably be very long on November 3rd. I decided to download the application for an absentee ballot. My wife and I filled out applications. Because of the late date I decided to drop off the applications in-person at the Madison County Courthouse in Huntsville. When I got there, I was dismayed that traffic was very congested near the courthouse with parking nearby non-existent. When I drove around the east side of the courthouse I was surprised to see that the usual parking spaces on Eastside Square were blocked off. Instead this area was reserved for people to drop off their completed absentee ballots. I tried to drop off the absentee ballot applications for my wife and myself but was told that each person had to do that themselves. I went back home and picked up my wife and returned back to the courthouse to try to drop them off again. This time they took both applications but insisted on opening each one in front of us to make sure that we were the ones making the applications. Finally a success. When we get the ballots my wife and I will fill them out and we will both return to the courthouse to turn them in at the drop-off area on Eastside Square.

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Absentee ballot applications must be received by October 29, 2020.

Absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 2nd and received by noon on November 3rd. If dropped off in person this must be done by November 2nd by 5pm.

Absentee ballot applications must be received in the office of the Absentee Election Manager for your county no later than the 5th calendar day prior to the election.

An absentee ballot returned by mail must be postmarked no later than the day prior to the election and received by the Absentee Election Manager no later than noon on election day. 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.

COVID-19 Resources Related to Voting
https://www.sos.alabama.gov/covid-19-voting-resources

820-2-3-.06-.04ER Absentee Voting During State of Emergency--General Election 2020.

(1) Pursuant to 17-11-3(e) of the Code of Alabama, and without limitation, due to the State of Emergency issued by the Governor of Alabama on March 13, 2020, as amended, any qualified voter who determines it is impossible or unreasonable to vote at their voting place for the General Election on November 3,2020 due to the declared states of emergency, shall be eligible to check the box on the absentee ballot application which reads as follows:

"I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls, [ID REQUIRED]"

(2) Any qualified voter of this state who applies and successfully submits an application, with proper identification, for an absentee ballot pursuant to this Emergency Administrative Rule shall be eligible to vote an absentee ballot for the General Election on Novembers, 2020.

(3) All Absentee Election Managers and any other election officials of this state are hereby directed and instructed to follow this Emergency Administrative Rule and accept all absentee ballot applications filed hereunder immediately.

Absentee Voting During State of Emergency -- General Election 2020.
https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/de...-.06-.04ER.pdf

[RocketDawg]

We decided to do the absentee method last Friday afternoon. Just drove downtown, circled the courthouse once, and a parking place opened up. I've never had such luck. Went to the "porch", got an application, filled it out, then went inside and stood in line for maybe 5 minutes. They checked IDs, told us to wait until our name was called, and when it was, we got our ballots, voted, then took them back to the checkin point. They were stamped, and put in a safe place to be opened on Nov 3. Total time was maybe 45 minutes.

Had the parking spot not opened, we were going to park in the parking garage diagonally from the courthouse.

[ErieCanalLvR]

IF you vote Absentee MAKE sure you vote is counted. President Trump has stated that due to the USPS bill there could be issues processing mail before election day, so make sure you do everything you can to make sure your vote is counted.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by ErieCanalLvR

IF you vote Absentee MAKE sure you vote is counted. President Trump has stated that due to the USPS bill there could be issues processing mail before election day, so make sure you do everything you can to make sure your vote is counted.

If you go to the courthouse and vote "absentee in person", the mail isn't involved. I'd not vote absentee and send it in through the mail.

[MisterEd51]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

We decided to do the absentee method last Friday afternoon. Just drove downtown, circled the courthouse once, and a parking place opened up. I've never had such luck. Went to the "porch", got an application, filled it out, then went inside and stood in line for maybe 5 minutes. They checked IDs, told us to wait until our name was called, and when it was, we got our ballots, voted, then took them back to the checkin point. They were stamped, and put in a safe place to be opened on Nov 3. Total time was maybe 45 minutes.

Had the parking spot not opened, we were going to park in the parking garage diagonally from the courthouse.

I did not even know we could actually do it that way. Still when we get our ballots at home we will fill them out and drop them off at the courthouse at the check-in place.


For now the only thing we are concerned about is getting the ballots in the mail on time. I am not sure but I think if the ballots don't show in the mail by November 1st we will have to vote in person on November 3rd. There is nothing wrong with that since they will know that we had not voted yet. Of course if someone stole our ballots out of the mailbox and used them our in-person ballots on November 3rd would be invalidated. The problem is that if this happened we would never be notified that our votes did not count.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

I did not even know we could actually do it that way. Still when we get our ballots at home we will fill them out and drop them off at the courthouse at the check-in place.


For now the only thing we are concerned about is getting the ballots in the mail on time. I am not sure but I think if the ballots don't show in the mail by November 1st we will have to vote in person on November 3rd. There is nothing wrong with that since they will know that we had not voted yet. Of course if someone stole our ballots out of the mailbox and used them our in-person ballots on November 3rd would be invalidated. The problem is that if this happened we would never be notified that our votes did not count.

I didn't know you could go to the courthouse and vote either until last Friday. We just decided, pretty much on a whim, to go give it a try. And apparently we were lucky that it went so smoothly.

I'm not so much worried about fraud (stealing ballots from the mailbox) as I am about plain human error. We get quite a bit of mis-delivered mail, which to me means the post office isn't nearly as efficient as it once was.

The main reason I voted early was that I have a couple of doctors appointments on the morning of election day and was afraid we'd be standing in line for hours waiting to vote. We have a pretty large voting precinct.

[MisterEd51]

Here is more specific information for Madison County: Preparing for the 2020 General Election

Normally you need two witnesses or a notary for your absentee ballot. If you bring it to the drop-off area at Madison County Courthouse they will notarize it for you.

Note each ballot dropped off must be by the person voting who must also show their id.

[MisterEd51]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

I didn't know you could go to the courthouse and vote either until last Friday. We just decided, pretty much on a whim, to go give it a try. And apparently we were lucky that it went so smoothly.

I'm not so much worried about fraud (stealing ballots from the mailbox) as I am about plain human error. We get quite a bit of mis-delivered mail, which to me means the post office isn't nearly as efficient as it once was.

The main reason I voted early was that I have a couple of doctors appointments on the morning of election day and was afraid we'd be standing in line for hours waiting to vote. We have a pretty large voting precinct.

I just dropped off our ballots today at 11:45am at the courthouse drop-off area. I handed the worker the completed affidavit envelopes. After the worker checked our affidavit envelopes and photo IDs we were free to go. We didn't even have to get out of our car. This took maybe five minutes since there was no one else doing it this way at the time.

BTW, while at the courthouse I noticed a bunch of people there for in-person absentee voting. The line circled all the way around the courthouse. I didn't count but there must have been a hundred people in line.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

I just dropped off our ballots today at 11:45am at the courthouse drop-off area. I handed the worker the completed affidavit envelopes. After the worker checked our affidavit envelopes and photo IDs we were free to go. We didn't even have to get out of our car. This took maybe five minutes since there was no one else doing it this way at the time.

BTW, while at the courthouse I noticed a bunch of people there for in-person absentee voting. The line circled all the way around the courthouse. I didn't count but there must have been a hundred people in line.

In that case, I'm happy that I did it last week. There was no line outside, and there's plenty of room for the line to continue on the inside. It probably takes quite a while doing it now, and it'll get worse next week. Sort of diminishes the value of avoiding Covid, if that's your goal.

[Emptynester1]

I downloaded, printed, and prepared my application to vote absentee and took it to the courthouse a few weeks ago. They verified my ID. I waited in a line of about 3 people. Then they called me to receive my ballot. I stayed there and completed the ballot; casting my vote. They finished the process. All of that took about 30 minutes. I found a parking space right at the entrance to the courthouse. If you mail your ballot, you may want to verify that it was accepted https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview.