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VALLEY — Hope A. Haynes, a member of the Chambers County Board of Registrars, was the guest speaker at Monday’s meeting of the Valley Lions Club and talked about the process of getting registered and remaining an active voter in Chambers County.

Haynes is a native of LaFayette and has spent 37 years working for federal government agencies such as the Department of Justice, the U.S. Marshall’s Office and the FBI. She’s back home to take care of her aging mother, Mary Owens, and to help out however she can with the local government.

Chambers County has a three-member Board of Registrars, all of whom were appointed at the state level. Haynes was appointed by the Office of State Auditor Andrew Sorrell, Frederika Schuh by the Office of Governor Kay Ivey and Susan Eason by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. Each registrar serves a four-year term.

“Ms. Haynes is super competent,” Program Chairman Sam Bradford said. “We are glad to have her here in Chambers County.”

Haynes said that Alabama currently has more than 3.7 million registered voters, 26,188 of whom live in Chambers County. The recent primary election had a very low turnout, only 22 percent. Haynes is expecting a much bigger turnout in November when the country will be electing a new president. “This is going to be a very interesting election,” she said.

There are five qualifications to vote in Alabama: an individual must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the state, at least 18 years of age, must not have been convicted of a disqualifying felony (or have had their rights restored) and not have been declared “mentally incompetent” by a court.

In Alabama, registration is closed 14 days before an election. October 21st will be the final day to register before the November General Election.

Registration can take place at the County Board of Registrars, which is located in the basement of the Chambers County Courthouse in LaFayette, or at the Courthouse Annex in Lanett. Registration services are also available in driver’s license offices, public libraries, Departments of Human Resources, WIC Programs, the Department of Public Health, Medicaid agencies and Departments of Rehabilitation Services.

Registration can be done online and by mail. Postcard voter registration forms are available at public four-year universities, some private four-year universities, driver’s license offices, public libraries and DHR. WIC program, public health, Medicaid and Department of Rehabilitation offices.

Anyone with questions about voter registration in Alabama may send inquiries to Voter Registration, State Capitol, 600 Dexter Avenue, Room E-210, Montgomery, Alabama 36130.

When registering my mail, applicants need to make sure they write legibly. “Make sure your address can be easily read,” Haynes said.

Haynes said that Alabama has a Visual Address Management System that offers a way to look up any precinct or commission district anywhere in the state. Any place of residence in Alabama can be quickly located. “There’s a lot of building going on in Chambers County right now,” Haynes said. “Having to see where it is is important to us. We need to know that voters are registered in the right precincts.”

A member of the club asked about absentee voting. Haynes said that is handled by the Circuit Clerk’s office. Many people find it a preferable alternative to standing in line to vote on election day.

Provisional voting is allowed when someone shows up at the polls on election day with the proper ID but there’s some question if they live in the precinct they are attempting to vote in. They are allowed to vote but the ballot is set aside in a provisional box. In the days immediately after the election, election officials will determine if they live in that precinct or not. If they do, their vote counts; if not, it won’t be counted.

Haynes said that state election officials are paying closer attention to people who live out of state to cross the state line to vote in both states. This is illegal but some people try to do in anyway. The state is becoming increasingly watchful of this in border counties like Chambers. “We have agreements with Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee on this to see if anyone is trying to do this,” Haynes said.

Registrars are allotted working days depending on the population of their county. Those in the more populous places are allowed over 200 days in a calendar year to do the work they need to do. The Chambers County board is given 180 days. “Sometimes we work half days,” Haynes said. “That gives us more flexibility in making sure we get everything done we need to do.”

A member of the club told Haynes they’d always heard that dead people vote and asked if it was true. 

“I’ve never seen one show up on election day,” Haynes said, drawing a large round of laughter.

Haynes said she truly appreciates the work being done by poll workers. 

“They work 14-hour days and they don’t get paid much,” she said. “It’s a community service being done by good people, and everyone should appreciate what they do.”

More than 80 percent of registrars are women, the average age of a registrar is 66 and many are retired military. There’s no age limit on this, and some are in their seventies and eighties.

“Anyone can have a voter registration drive,” Haynes said. “Your church can do it. We want everyone who is eligible to vote to be registered and to participate in the voting process. Voting in a free election is one of our treasured rights.”