Registrar outlines voting procedures

Coffee County Board of Registrars member Robert Hooks outlined voter registration procedures and requirements at a Wiregrass Democratic Women’s Club meeting Monday.

By Michelle Mann
Published: July 02, 2009

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Knowing correct voter registration procedures ensures “the fruit of your labors will pay off,” Coffee County Board of Registrars member Robert Hooks told Wiregrass Democratic Women’s Club members Monday.

“Pre-election activities can include voter registration and knowing how to vote by absentee ballot,” Hooks said. “In both processes, voters must meet certain qualifications.”

A qualified voter must be 18 years old, a citizen of the United States, and a legal resident of the state in which they are registering to vote, said Hooks. “In municipal elections, a person must have resided in that municipality at least 30 days prior to voting in the election.”

A person convicted of a felony crime “involving moral turpitude,” is ineligible to vote. What exactly is involved in “moral turpitude,” currently is not legally defined at this point, Hooks said. He added the probation office is the agency that has authority to restore voting privileges.

State law mandates that the county board board of registrars not register anyone within 10 days prior to an election said Hooks.

Voters can register at the county board of registrars in the county complex in New Brockton. In addition, citizens can register to vote when applying for or renewing driver's licenses or state identification cards, he added.

Brooks asked that anyone conducting a voter registration drive give the registrar’s office at least a week’s notice to ensure adequate applications are available. “When you carry out voter registration drives,” Brooks said, “make sure people fill out the application correctly.” A common situation for the board of registrars is unsigned. applications. “In most cases, if we have a phone number we will contact the applicant,” Brooks said.
“And you cannot live in a post office box,” he said. “We need a physical address on the application.”