Rules explained for absentee voting in county

The Watchman is offering two articles concerning the upcoming Presidential election in Marengo County. This first one concerns absentee voting. The second story will cover plans for overall voting and the amendment on the ballot specifically concerning Marengo County.

 Voting, like just about everything else in 2020, presents a challenge. When it comes to the Presidential election, making sure everything is conducted safely and legally presents even more hurdles.

“2020 has been interesting,” said Marengo County Probate Judge Laurie Hall.

It falls to Hall and her staff to prepare for the election Nov. 3 and to handle everything concerning voting in the county. She also has been appointed Absentee Manager for the county and handles all absentee ballot requests as well as collecting the ballots when they are returned.

Hall said several options have been created for people to apply for an absentee ballot so that they can remain safe during the ongoing concern about COVID-19. Already some 250 applications have been received and ballots mailed. She expects a lot more because of safety concerns.

Ballots can be requested by phone or on the website. Voters also can fill out a request online. Her office has posted a video on the county website, www.marengocountyal.com, under the Probate tab at the top. Select “Other” on the right to access the video that will help voters with questions about the process or to apply for an absentee ballot.

Hall stressed that certain guidelines must be followed for those ballots to be counted.

As of Thursday, Sept. 24, her office had received 77 absentee ballots, and of those some 25 to 30 percent were voters who came into the Probate Office, filled out an application, received a ballot and voted on the spot.

Every day one or more people vote in person, said Hall, beginning the first day of absentee voting Sept. 9.

It only takes seconds to check whether a prospective voter is qualified, Hall said. If there are any concerns, the Board of Registrar’s office, also in the Courthouse, can handle problems promptly.

For the absentee application, a witness signature is only required if the voter signs with a mark. Each application also must have a copy of the voter’s identification.

Each ballot mailed to a voter has two envelopes which must be used for the ballot to be considered valid, she continued. The inner, or secrecy, envelope has no identifying marks on it, so the voter remains anonymous. The outer affidavit envelope requires identification to make sure the person sending in the ballot is qualified. It must be notarized or have two witness.

A voter cannot hand deliver anyone else’s ballot except his/her own, she stressed. Only one ballot may be placed in the return envelope.

All those entering the County Courthouse to request a ballot or return one must go through security and temperature checks. Everyone is required to wear masks.

If several people are at the Probate Office, the staff has set aside a safe area so that social distancing will be observed.

The last day to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 29, and all ballots must be returned or postmarked by Nov. 2, the day before the election. Usually is takes two days for mail to be delivered, so local post offices try to help out with voting by providing next-day delivery when possible.

Hall said the absentee ballots coming into her office are safely stored behind three locked doors. Anyone bringing in a ballot will place it personally in the final lock box. All those mailed in are checked to make sure the voter is eligible and then placed in the box.

On election day poll workers assigned to that voter box double-check registration as they remove the inner envelopes. The envelopes then are mixed up before the ballots are removed. All ballots are counted by the same machine as those located at in-person voting sites.

Anyone with questions about the absentee ballot procedure can call the special phone line at (334) 295-2150 or the Probate Office at 295-2210.