County Commission | The Magazine April 2018 | Page 10

FROM THE COVER
A
labama’s 2018 elections are
shaping up to be as exciting
as ever, starting at the top
with crowded gubernatorial prima-
ries in both major political parties.
Those charged with administer-
ing the elections would prefer to
confine any drama to the campaigns,
leaving the nuts and bolts of the
process to operate smoothly, fairly,
accurately and securely.
ACCA Vice President David
Money said he enjoys the challenge
of election administration. “It’s a
huge responsibility. That’s the way
our democracy is set up,” said Money,
who wears two hats as probate judge
and commission chairman.
“We hear of voting irregularities
in different places throughout
the country, and we really pride
ourselves on maintaining the
integrity of the process,” he said.
“We don’t ever want someone
checking Henry County and
saying,‘Well, this wasn’t done right.’”
In this state, much of the
hands-on work of administering
elections is carried out by probate
judges, sheriffs, registrars and circuit
clerks. However, the work of county
commissions is not to be overlooked.
The commission’s duties can
be generally grouped into three
basic areas:
- Precincts and polling places;
- Election equipment;
- Financial.
Precincts and Polling Places
The county commission has
ultimate decision-making authority
over several factors that directly
influence an individual’s voting
experience:
• Setting precincts;
• Assigning and maintaining polling
places;
• Determining the number of voting
machines at each polling place.
From the perspective of a
commissioner, “I want to be a part
of the process to make sure and to
assure the citizens that everything is
correct,” said ACCA President-Elect
Tony Cherry.
At a minimum, any questions
about precincts and how voters
are assigned causes inconvenience
on Election Day. In truth, given
Alabama’s voting rights history,
irregularities in the precincts and
polling places can serve to undercut
the integrity of the election process.
Citizens are watchful for any
indication that the voter list may
have been purged, Cherry said.
“It’s an honor that you have
input on it, because you’re privileged
enough to assist in making decisions
where voting polls are going to be,”
said Cherry, who is from Choctaw
County. “You want a comfortable
setting for the people who are
working the polls, and you want
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ALABAMA MOUNTAIN LAKES TOURIST ASSOCIATION
10 | COUNTY COMMISSION