Staff Writer

Published Oct. 12, 1999

Polls for the statewide will be open today, and voters will decide on the Alabama Education Lottery, among other issues.

In Pike County, polls are open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Registered voters who are unsure of their polling place can call the Pike County Board of Voter Registrars at 566-1757

Regardless of how you feel about the lottery and the two other amendments on the ballot, it is important to come out and vote, said Pike County Probate Judge William G. Stone .

As of Sept. 24, 17,834 Pike County voters had registered to vote in the election, he said. Oct. 1 was the last day voters who wanted to cast their ballots in today’s election could register.

Stone expects the referendum election to have a large voter turnout because the lottery is such an emotional issue. Polling places are prepared to vote every voter in Pike County, he said.

"The average person should consider what is going on around them because those with a vested interest in matters on the ballots will vote for sure," he said.

When Pike County voters go to the polls today, they can expect to see a short ballot.

Only three items, all of which are proposed amendments to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, will be on ballots here. In order for each amendment to become law, it must be approved by a majority of voters in the state.

According to a sample ballot for the election, proposed Amendment 1 establishes the Alabama Education Lottery to fund the Alabama HOPE Scholarship Program for colleges and universities and junior, technical and community colleges. It also funds voluntary pre-kindergarten programs and technology in public schools.

Proposed Amendment 2 would allow the Alabama Legislature to extend state retirement to elected officials through the Employee’s Retirement System of Alabama and abolish the locally-funded programs, or supernumeraries, in which many of them now participate.

Proposed Amendment 3 allows the Alabama Legislature to provide for an elected city board of education in any municipality with a city board of education.

Under the present law, cities appoint school board members, Stone said. This amendment would give cities the option of choosing to elect school board members.