Story by Tori Bedsole

Residents should make plans to vote in Alabama’s special U.S. senate election, which will take place on Aug. 15.

The election will determine who will replace Jeff Sessions as one of the senators from Alabama.

Sessions’ seat was vacated when he was selected as Attorney General by President Trump back in February. Former Gov. Robert Bentley appointed Luther Strange to the seat until another election could determine who would replace Sessions.

The rules concerning cross-over voting in primary and primary run-off elections have changed.

The new rules, which went into effect Aug. 1, prohibit voters from changing parties between the primary and primary run-off elections.

Voters who vote in the Democratic primary election may not cross over and vote in the Republican primary run-off election.  Those who vote in the Republican primary election may not cross over and vote in the Democratic primary run-off election.

Voters who choose not to vote in the initial primary election may vote in either the Republican or the Democratic primary run-off election.

Cross-over rules apply only to the primary and primary run-off elections, not the general election.

Absentee ballots that are mailed in must be postmarked no later than the day before the election, which is Aug. 14. If being hand-delivered, ballots must be dropped off at Circuit Clerk John Robert Fountain’s office by 5 p.m. the day before the election.

Fountain’s mailing address is P.O. Box 856, Brewton. His office address is 314 Belleville Ave., Brewton.

For more information, visit escambia.alacourt.gov/.