Rain Saturday did not deter hundreds of voters who lined up to vote their absentee ballot in person at the downtown Jefferson County courthouse. It was the last Saturday the two courthouses in Birmingham and Bessemer were to be open for absentee voters before Nov. 3’s election. Read more.
If no states had issued stay-at-home orders to their residents as the novel coronavirus swept across the country this past spring, the U.S. could have had 22% more deaths and 220% more people infected than if there had been a nationwide stay-at-home order, researchers at UAB have projected. Read more.
Individuals from 25 to 49 years old make up the biggest percentage of Alabamians who have contracted COVID-19, but adults who are 50 and older account for almost 95% of the deaths from the disease, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported Thursday. While people age 65 and up made up 16.8% of those who have contracted the coronavirus, they accounted for more than three of every four deaths. People aged 50 to 64 accounted for about 18% of the deaths. Read more details about who is getting and dying from COVID in Alabama.
Help is on the way for remote learners who have had little to no access to Wi-Fi. Meeting in Bessemer Thursday, the Jefferson County Commission amended the Cares Act Coronavirus Relief Fund subgrant agreement with the Jefferson County Board of Education to award an additional $4,648,600 to expand broadband capacity to reach students taking classes virtually. Read more.
Alabama voters have until Oct. 29 to apply to vote by absentee ballot. The state already is seeing record-breaking numbers of voters applying to vote without having to go to the polls on Nov. 3. Read more.
Much of the focus this election season has been on the presidential race or Alabama’s U.S. Senate contest. But voters will also see six statewide constitutional amendments on the ballot. The language of these amendments can be pretty convoluted. Each year the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama offers analysis of the amendments. Senior research associate Thomas Spencer broke them down. Read more.
Candidates in contested races are profiled. List will be updated with information on uncontested candidates. President and Vice President of the United States Joseph R. Biden Kamala D. Harris Democrat Donald J. Trump Michael R. Pence Republican Jo Jorgensen Jeremy “Spike” Cohen Independent United States Senator Doug Jones Democrat Tommy Tuberville
So you want to be a poll watcher. It isn’t as easy as dropping into a polling place and plunking yourself down to observe the proceedings. First, in Alabama, you need to be appointed as a poll watcher for a specific party and a specific precinct. So two or three poll workers at each site is usually the limit. Poll workers also aren’t allowed to attempt to influence voters. In other words, teams of Trump supporters cannot independently call themselves “poll watchers” and stay to make sure nothing they think might be untoward is happening, as the president has urged them to do. But supporting a particular candidate does not disqualify someone from becoming a legal poll watcher, either. Read more. More stories from BirminghamWatch’s 2020 Voter Guide
Assistant Tax Collector, Bessemer Division of Jefferson County Delor Baumann Republican Residence: Hueytown Political experience: Mayor of Hueytown, 2004-2016, defeated for re-election in 2016 runoff. Professional experience: Previously managed Baumann Coatings in Bessemer, 15 years. Civic experience: Member, Grace Lutheran Church; member, Hueytown Lions Club; member, Hueytown High School Quarterback Club; member, Hueytown Beautification Board.
