The names of more than 20,000 people who are registered to vote in Escambia County (Ala.) in the March 3 Democratic and Republican primaries are printed inside this edition. They are printed in alphabetical order from each precinct.
I encourage everyone to check for their name. If you normally vote at Flomaton Town Hall, make sure your name is there; if you normally vote at the Coastal Alabama Community College's museum in Alco, check for your name; and if you vote at the Appleton Volunteer Fire Department, check for your name.
If you don't see your name or you think your name is in the wrong precinct, Friday, Feb. 14, is the last day to register to vote. If you have questions you can call the board of registrars at 251-867-0243.
Another reminder is that Feb. 27 is the last day to request an absentee ballot for the March 3 primaries.
Although there are no local races on the ballot, there are some very important races that not only include president, but the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives for this district.
We also have a constitutional amendment on the ballot to see whether or not the state of Alabama will switch from its current practice of electing members to the state board of education to having the governor appoint and the senate confirm nominations. I'll address my thoughts on that amendment before that election, but if you want to read it, it's on Page 6B in today's Tri-City Ledger.
But I do want to go over a civics 101 lesson that I go over every two years when the election cycle comes around.
On March 3 when you go to the polls, you will be asked whether you want a Republican or Democratic ballot. You can only get one or the other, you can't get both. In the primaries, you can vote for Republicans and Democrats. All that will change in November, but in March you have to pick a party.
Poll workers catch Hell every two years when they ask that question because some will tell them it's none of their business, and sometimes they put a little more heavy language into that statement.
Unlike other states, that include our neighbors to the south in Florida, Alabamians do not have to register as Democrats or Republicans.
I had people tell me two years ago that they would like to vote for somebody, but they were registered Republicans. I tried to explain to them they were not registered anything other than a registered voter.
Along the Civics 101 line, you need to remember that on March 3 we are not electing anybody to any office. We seem to call it an election, but it's not. It's a nominating process. We will select the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate and we will select the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. The two winners will face off in the November General Election to see who will represent the state of Alabama in the U.S. Senate.
In this county we will select a Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives and we will select a Democratic nominee – the election will happen in November.
I've heard first hand tales from poll workers how upset people get in the primary elections when they are asked which party primary they want to vote in. I witnessed first hand one time when a man refused to say and walked out without voting.
I pick the primary election I want to vote in based on the candidates on the ballot. I've voted in the Democratic Primary and I've voted in the Republican Primary depending mostly on the local names on the ballot. I don't claim the be a Democrat or a Republican but I've been accused of being both at different times.
The important thing is to vote. I still believe that you have no right to complain if you don't voice your opinion at the ballot box and I don't accept that statement that 'my one vote doesn't count'.
My wife and I have gone to the polls several times and canceled each other out – she voted for one, I voted for the other but at least we voted for what we felt would be in the best interest of our nation, state, county or town.
Come November you can vote for Republicans and Democrats, but on March 3 you either need to ride an elephant or ride in on a donkey to the polls – you can't ride both.
