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January 30, 2008

New voter registration system causes confusion at polls

By Brittany Woodby

BWOODBY@CULLMANTIMES.COM

Since the state implemented a new voter registration system, county election officials said many voters have expressed confusion over where they are allowed to vote.

“The precinct lines have not changed,” Cullman County Probate Judge Leah Patterson-Lust said. “They are they same as they have been for quite some time. What is different now with the new voter registration system is that voters must vote in the precinct they live.”

Lust said in the past, voters were assigned one precinct but were permitted to vote at another precinct’s polling place if it were more convenient to get to.

“You could override the old system and vote where you wanted to,” she said. “It’s not like that now.”

Cullman County Board of Registrars Chairman Bonny Gray said the board sent postcards last fall with precinct reminders to voters who had been voting outside their precincts.

“The new system flagged all the voters who were voting in a place other than their precinct,” she said. “We sent cards to all the voters who had a change, but some voters said they did not get a card.”

With the presidential primary less than a week away, Gray said her office will not have time to send new notices out to voters but hopes to mail reminders with letters detailing the change to residents by June.

However, Gray said she hopes to have maps outlining each precinct available at the polling places Tuesday so voters can check to be sure their home falls within the polls’ precinct.

“We still have changes to make to ensure everyone is voting in the precinct they live in,” she said. “There are still some corrections that need to be made.”

Gray said the Board of Registrars can not legally change a voter’s designated polling place or precinct but if voters are unsure of where they should vote or which precinct they belong in, they can come by the board office in the courthouse for assistance.

“They can come by and we’ll look at the map with them and figure things out. If they are still not satisfied, they can contact the Secretary of State’s office.”

Voter registration to participate in next week’s presidential primary election ended on Jan. 25 but residents may still register to vote in November’s presidential election. Gray and Lust said if any resident has moved since registering to vote, he or she needs to fill out a new form at the Board of Registrar’s Office to update his or her address and be assigned a new precinct, if applicable.

The new voter registration database was completed state-wide in October but Gray said the county went online with the new system in August.

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