Absentee voting is now open for the June 5 Republican and Democrat primaries that will determine each party’s candidates for local and statewide offices.

Circuit Clerk Jamie Scarbrough said applications are available in her office and on the website of Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill at www.alabamavotes.gov.

Applications can be made for regular ballots until May 31 and until June 1 for emergency ballots.

Any qualified elector may vote an absentee ballot by mail or in person at the absentee election manager’s office, if he or she makes application in writing not less than five days prior to the election and meets one of the following requirements:

• The person will be out of the county or state on Election Day.
• The person has any physical illness or infirmity which prevents his or her attendance at the polls, whether he or she is within or without the county on the day of election.
• The person works a shift which has at least 10 hours which coincide with the hours the polls are open at his or her regular polling place.
• The person is enrolled as a student at an educational institution located outside the county
• of his or her personal residence (attendance) at which prevents his or her attendance at the polls.
• The person is a member of, or spouse or dependent of a member of, the armed forces
• of the United States or is similarly qualified to vote absentee pursuant to the Federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff.
• The person has been appointed as an election officer or named as a poll watcher at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place.

There are two reasons that a registered elector can apply for an emergency ballot:

• The registered elector requires emergency treatment of a licensed physician within five days of an election may apply for an emergency absentee ballot for the election and may vote by returning the absentee ballot no later than noon on the day the election is held. The attendant physician shall describe and certify the circumstances as constituting an emergency on a special form designed by the Secretary of State and provided by his or her office to local absentee election managers. The special form shall be attached to the application.
• Any registered elector whose name appears on the poll list of qualified voters may vote by an emergency absentee ballot if he or she is required by his or her employer under unforeseen circumstances to be out of the county on an emergency business trip on Election Day. Under such circumstances, the applicant shall apply for an emergency absentee ballot at the office of the absentee election manager no later than the close of the business day one day prior to the election. The applicant shall complete and file an application form designed by the Secretary of State for emergency absentee voters. The form shall contain an affidavit which the applicant shall sign or swear acknowledging that he or she was not aware of the out-of- county business requirement prior to five days before the election. An applicant who meets the requirements of this subsection may vote by an emergency absentee ballot. After voting the ballot, the voter shall hand the ballot to the absentee election manager.

Scarbrough said voters should be aware that whichever party primary they choose to vote in will also be the party they will be required to vote in if a runoff should occur. Primary party choice will not affect electors’ option to elect any candidate in the general election.

The primaries will be held on June 5 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voter ID will be required.

For more information, call the Circuit Clerk’s office at 334-566-5113.