Judge reports smooth election day

According to Dallas County Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn, the May 24 Primary elections went well with as many voters as would be expected on a rainy day and very few problems.

“We had pretty good turnout considering it rained most all day.” Nunn said. He also explained that there are “a little over 29,000 registered voters” In Dallas County. However some 10,000 turned out to vote in the primary “Which is about 30% so it was a little low.” Usually voter turn out is in the 33 percent range, maybe a little better he said.

Nunn reported there were no major problems with the voting machines through out the day. “Every time we have a few challenges, a few bumps in the road we have to deal with in the mornings when we first get the machines started, but there was nothing we couldn’t resolve within a few minutes.” He said there was one minor problem during the day but it too was resolved with in a couple of minutes.

Nunn praised the voters and candidates for an election day free of any conflict.

“Sometimes you have problems with candidates. They acted professionally.” He said the same for voters. He added “we did have the sheriff’s department out patrolling the polling places, they provide security during elections. We also had representatives from the Secretary of State’s office visiting the polling places making sure everything went smoothly.”

Nunn said “the new Express Vote machines were available if anyone with a physical disability wanted to use them. So there was no reason for anyone who wanted to vote not getting a chance to do so.” Nunn also recognized and thanked the poll workers “for the outstanding job they do each election.”

There have been a number of precincts that have changed polling places. Nunn said the new polling places were well received by voters “Accessibility is better, getting in and out is easier in these new polling places, more room, air conditioning, the facilities were even cleaner and voters had no problem finding the locations of the new polling places.”

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The May 24 primary was an interesting election in Dallas County because, like in many other small towns and rural areas, all of the local candidates were running on the Democratic ticket. So if a voter normally votes republican, but wants to vote in the local elections, said voter must declare Democrat meaning they can not vote in the Republican Primary.

Nunn said “I saw a lot of that. As a matter of fact, out of the 10,000 people that voted, there were only 539 people that voted Republican. The other 9,525 voted Democrat.” which, he said, would indicate there are only a few more than 500 Republicans in Dallas County “we know that is not true. I think what it is, is that in Dallas County, the citizens are more concerned about their candidate who they want to represent them well in the office, rather than voting for a party, Republican or Democrat.”

Nunn also reminds voters that in Alabama, voters can not legally vote across party lines in primaries. Voters must declare which party ballot they want to fill out and vote only on that ballot. And if there are any runoff elections after the primaries, again voters must vote for the party for which they voted in the primary election. However in the general election voters are free to vote a split ticket and pick candidates from either party.

The provisional ballots will be considered Tuesday May 31 at noon in Nunn’s office. He said representatives from both parties will be there to determine if each provisional ballot is valid with all necessary information. It will then be counted if it is properly filled out.

Provisional ballots are ones that are cast by voters when there is a problem with the regular system. Rarely are there enough to make a difference in the election. The election results will be certified after provisional s are counted.

Nunn closed with “I want to thank everyone who voted. That is the only way to have your voice heard and the only way to make change or keep things how they are if that’s what you want. Just everyone get out and vote when there is an election.”