I talked with Escambia County Circuit Clerk John Robert Fountain this week and he told me he had to send back 15 absentee voter applications Friday because those requesting a ballot filled out everything except whether they wanted to vote in the Republican Primary on June 5 or the Democratic Primary on June 5.
When I talked with him last week he had already sent back three due to the same reason. Sometimes I think I'm trying to beat a dead horse to death, but I'm going to keep beating it in hopes that people will realize that in a primary election you have to make a decision as to whether you want to vote on the Republican ballot or the Democratic ballot, you can't vote in both.
Today (May 31) is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot and if you mess this up and don't declare a party you are out of luck and won't get to vote by absentee. You'll have to go to the polls on June 5 and the first question a poll worker will ask you is whether you want a Republican or Democratic ballot. I think I titled a column a few weeks ago saying something like 'Civics 101' because we all learned this in either junior high school or high school.
My bet is Fountain gets the same response from some people that the poll workers get telling them it's none of their business whether they are a Democrat or Republican. It's really not their business whether you are a Democrat or Republican but it is their business to ask you whether you want to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary.
Next Tuesday is not an election; it's a day the Republicans and Democrats select their nominees for the General Election in November.
Aside from the die hard Republicans and yellow dog Democrats there are a lot of people, like me, who don't align themselves with a political party. On June 5, I will have to decide whether I want to vote Republican or Democrat. In November when the General Election ballot is full of Democrats and Republicans I can vote for some Democrats, some Republicans, possibly an independent or write in Donald Duck for governor. I can't do that Tuesday.
I make my choice on which primary I vote in based on races that I really care about. I'm going to vote in the Republican primary next week for two reasons: to cast a vote for Lyn Stuart for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and vote against incumbent Secretary of State John Merrill. I don't know anything about Michael Johnson, who is challenging Merrill for the Republican nomination, but I know enough about how Merrill has treated probate judges and circuit clerks over the years to know I'm not voting for him.
I'll throw a vote to John McMillan for state treasurer because I thought he did a great job as commissioner of agriculture and he is always accessible. McMillan seemed to always tell the truth even when the truth hurt.
The only other vote I'm really interested in is a vote against Jim Zeigler for state auditor. He's a loose cannon. Don't really know Stan Cooke or Elliot Lipinsky but I'll choose between the two and right now it's Cooke.
I'll vote for Kay Ivey because I think she's a smart woman; she's run a brilliant campaign by simply keeping her mouth shut and not getting caught up in the attacks from her opponents. She's either a great politician or she has surrounded herself with good people she trusts to point her in the right direction.
Come November, I'll be all across the board voting for some Republicans and some Democrats. I could care less which political party they run under, I'll look at the individual and determine who I feel will be the best for the job.
So, be prepared. When you head to the polls Tuesday to vote, you will be asked whether or not you want a Republican or Democratic ballot. That's the law. Also remember if you vote in the Democratic Primary Tuesday you can't vote in the Republican runoff and vice versa. If you attempt to cross over Merrill will try to get you arrested.
The most important thing is to go to the polls Tuesday and vote. You have two choices: Republican or Democrat – not both.
