Some Jeffco Absentee Ballots In Jeopardy After Court Rulings
Up to 2,600 absentee ballots could be thrown out because of dueling court rulings over witness signatures on ballots. Jefferson County Probate Judge James Naftel on Wednesday said officials are working to see that every vote counts.
Normally, absentee ballots must be notarized or signed by two witnesses, but a federal judge ruled in September that some older voters with underlying medical conditions did not have to meet the signature requirements because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling two weeks later.
County officials on Monday said ballots cast under the waiver that were postmarked by October 13 will be counted. At issue are those with the waived witness requirements postmarked after that date.
Naftel told WBHM the county is working with the election software provider to more precisely identify the number of ballots in question. In the meantime, he said election workers will contact voters with such ballots to inform them of the opportunity to fix or “cure” the ballots.
A voter would have to come to the absentee election manager’s office at the Jefferson County Courthouse to sign an affidavit. State law prevents absentee ballots from leaving the office once they are received, meaning ballots cannot be delivered to a voter’s home to be fixed.
Voters who believe they may have been caught by this discrepancy can also call the office at 205-325-5313.
74-year-old Lyn Warren Munroe called the Jefferson County absentee election office dozens of times this week, but hasn’t been able to reach anyone. Once, she said, someone took down her name and phone number, but no one called her back.
She mailed her absentee ballot a few days after the waiver was overturned, not realizing it had been. She’s frustrated with her options to either cast a provisional ballot on Election Day or sign an affidavit at the county courthouse.
“But then I’m exposing myself to even more people at the polls or at the absentee clerk’s office, so you know, it’s a Catch-22 for me.”
The Birmingham resident says both options pose a risk to her health, so she’ll forego a vote this election.
Thursday is the final day to request an absentee ballot, although because the election is less than a week away, the United States Postal Service recommends hand delivering absentee ballots instead of mailing them. According to the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, more than 301,000 absentee ballots have been requested with about 241,000 returned. That shatters the previous record from 2012 of 89,000 absentee ballots cast.
Federal judge declines to order Trump officials to recover deleted Signal messages
The watchdog group American Oversight had asked a federal judge to order top national security officials to preserve any messages they may have sent on the private messaging app Signal.
Welcome to summer: U.S. braces for first significant heat wave of the new season
For many Americans, high humidity will make it feel in the triple digits. The National Weather Service is urging people to prepare to protect themselves from the dangers of extreme heat.
Trump says he’s close to ‘a Deal’ with Harvard, as judge grants injunction
Trump's Truth Social comments came as a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction that would continue blocking the president's efforts to bar international students from attending Harvard.
Trump is no stranger to setting 2-week deadlines. Here’s how others have played out
Since his first term, Trump has promised action on everything from tax legislation to health care within a fortnight — only for his announcements to materialize months later or not at all.
A man is charged with attempting to kidnap Memphis Mayor Paul Young
Police say Trenton Abston, 25, came to Mayor Paul Young's home armed with a Taser. Officers allegedly found rope and duct tape in his car.
Voice of America gutted by Trump adviser Kari Lake
The Trump administration is slashing jobs at Voice of America's parent agency by 85%. Journalists who have risked their freedom to report for the broadcaster wonder what happens next.
