HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — It is one week until Election Day, and two days until the deadline to request an absentee ballot in Alabama.
WZDX News spoke with Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger about what to do now if you haven't voted.
The lines have been long on Monday and Tuesday, and will most likely continue the next two days as the deadline to request an absentee ballot is this Thursday.
"Finally...Good..Been out here for two hours, so it feels good - Almost three," says a group of young voters, Candace Brown, Maya Zeigler, and Jazmine Jackson.
Some people waiting in line feeling some relief as they get closer to vote. Some say it's worth the wait. "I do, I know I will once I get my ballot done," says Judy Guerry.
Judge Barger says to "bring your patience". "The closer we get to the deadline, the longer the wait, and certainly yesterday and today are indicative of that," says Barger.
Barger says Madison County is seeing record breaking numbers of absentee ballots. "We would have seen a 300 percent increase, I think, by the time we get to Thursday," says Barger.
That's about 40,000 compared to about 10,000 in 2016. There's also an absentee ballot drop off.
"If you have a fully completed ballot, you want to drop it by, you can actually drive through on the East Side of the courthouse. We'll check your identification and accept your ballot," says Barger.
Barger says the drive up will continue, after the absentee ballot request deadline, to this Friday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Questions about the election or voting? Text them to (256)382-2692
Volunteers with The League of Women Voters of the Tennessee Valley helped voters complete absentee ballot requests by hosting a drive thru voter services clinic of their own. The program ran for nearly four months.
"The people working to get you in to vote; they're doing everything they can, and they have gone above and beyond to make this absentee voting work for us. They've done the curbside drive up, which has never been done before," says League of Women Voters of the Tennessee Valley President, Kathleen Leonard.
As for Election Day, Barger says masks are encouraged, but not enforced at precincts county wide.
"Make sure that you maintain that six feet distance, use hand sanitizer as you come in. You'll have an election worker that's providing that to you as you enter the polling location, and as simple as it might sound - use your own pen," says Barger.
Judge Barger encourages anybody who decides to vote absentee to vote, if possible, in person. The deadline is October 29th, from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
[WEB EXTRA: Hear more from Judge Barger]
[WEB EXTRA: Hear from League of Women Voters of the Tennessee Valley President, Kathleen Leonard on record breaking numbers.]
