Voting has been light in Jefferson County so far today as people go to the polls to decide several races left up in the air after the June primary.

Jefferson County Board of Registrars Chairman Barry Stephenson said turnout has been tracking at between 8 percent and 10 percent. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill also has predicted low turnout statewide, of 15 percent to 18 percent, compared to June’s 24 percent turnout.

So far, Stephenson said, there have been no problems reported at the polls. “It’s been normal stuff – just people confirming things like where they needed to go vote, but we’ve haven’t any calls about problems at the precincts,” he said.

Polls are open across the state until 7 p.m.

Stephenson also did not anticipate any major concerns related to crossover voting rules.

A May 2017 law prevents voters from voting in the primary on one party’s ballot, but then crossing over to vote another party’s ballot in a primary runoff. During general elections, voters are free to vote for candidates from either party.

Who’s on the Ballot?

BirminghamWatch has prepared a Voter’s Guide to brief you on the elections before you go to the polls. You can find the races and candidates on the ballots, along with links to their profiles, on the Sample Ballot page.

Far fewer races are on the ballots today than were last month. But in some of the races, winning the runoff is tantamount to winning the seat because there is no opposition from the opposite party in November.

On the state level, up for grabs are the Republican nominations for attorney general, lieutenant governor, commissioner of agriculture and industries, an associate justiceship on the Supreme Court and judgeships on the state civil and criminal appeal courts.

There are no Democrats running for the Supreme Court Place 1 seat, either courts of appeal, or the agriculture and industries commissioner’s job. That means that whoever wins the Republican nomination in those races is almost assured of winning the office in November.

There are no Democrats in statewide races in the runoff.

In Jefferson County, there are only the statewide races still undecided on the Republican side.

But there are several local Democratic races on the ballot, including two District Court seats. In one of those races, for the district 9 seat, there are no Republicans running in November

There also are runoffs in the races for the circuit court clerk and sheriff’s seat.

Jefferson County Democratic voters also will be picking nominees for two County Commission seats, in District 1 and 2. Winning those nominations also is tantamount to winning the races, since there is not a Republican running in November.

Some Jefferson County Democrats also will vote in the House District 54 race.

In this edition of the BirminghamWatch Voter Guide, you will find lists of candidates on the ballot and their profiles, which include basic information about each of the candidates such as the top contributors to their campaigns, the main issues they’re citing in their campaigns and links to their web or social media sites.

The toolkit has information about the process of voting and what you’ll need at the polls.

It’s all in one package on BirminghamWatch.

Resources:

Profiles of Candidates in the July 17 Election, by Race

Voters Toolbox for the Runoff

Sample Ballots