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With Alabama Primary election less than a week away, voters have the chance to make decisions in two local and one congressional district race ahead of the November general election.
Polls will open at 7 a.m. on March 5 and close at 7 p.m. for the Alabama primary election. Absentee voting application deadline is Feb. 29 at 4 p.m.
Escambia County Circuit Clerk John Robert Fountain, who serves as an election manager for the county, said three of the items on the ballot will be decided in the primary election, simply because there is no opposing party candidates.
“The race for the first congressional district seat will be determined March 5,” Fountain said. “That race between Jerry Carl and Barry Moore, both republicans, has no democratic opposition. The March 5 vote will determine the winner in that race.”
In addition to the congressional race, two local candidates will be named to the positions they are campaigning to win, Fountain said.
“The District 2 seat of the Escambia County Commission will be determined on Tuesday,” Fountain said. “Raymond Wiggins and Lew Najor, both republicans, have no democratic opposition in the race.”
A second race, the seat for the Escambia County Board of Education District 3, will also be determined in the Tuesday vote.
“Mike Edwards and Jerry Wilson are both republicans and there is not a democrat running for the seat,” Fountain said. “The vote on March 5 will determine the winner in that race.”
Other races included on the Republican primary ballot include President, Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Court of Civil Apeals Judge Place 2, Court of Criminal appeals Jude Place 2; president of Public service commission and an amendment.
On the Democratic primary ballot, voters will be casting votes for President and delegates for the 2024 Democratic National Convention representing the 1st congressional district. There is also the lone statewide amendment on the ballot.
In order to insure the timely application approval for an absentee ballot, Fountain said those applying should do so in person at the Escambia County Courthouse before the deadline.
“There will be a tight time frame to get an application approved and an absentee ballot sent back to the voter if they mail in their application,” Fountain said. “I can approve applications I receive in the mail by Feb. 29, but the voter would be at the mercy of the post office in getting their ballot back in the mail in time to meet the voting deadline.”
Applications for absentee ballots can be made in person at the Circuit Clerk’s office inside the Escambia County Courthouse on Belleville Avenue in Brewton or by mail to John R. Fountain, Absentee Election Manager, P.O. Box 856, Brewton, AL 36427-0856.