By By Connie Nowlin Managing editor
In order to vote in the Dec. 9 ad valorem tax referendum, residents must first be registered. But as people have moved, or their names have changed because of marriage or divorce, they may unsure as to their voting status.
Verification of status and polling precinct may be done over the telephone, according to Mike Watson, one of three registrars for Escambia County.
Watson said residents may call the office in Brewton with their name and Social Security number and one of the registrars will check the rolls to determine if that person is registered, and if they are, where they vote.
It is another matter all together if they are not registered, Watson said.
But it is a simple process to get registered. Residents may come by the office of the registrar, or they may pick up an application at any of the state office buildings in the county. Then, when the application is completed with the resident's name, street address, and signature, it may be mailed to the central office. No identification is required to register, but ID is required to vote. The application asks for a Social Security number, but it is not mandatory.
If someone is not registered, they have until Nov. 26 to do so. Applications must either be delivered to the office in Brewton by that date or mailed with an appropriate postmark by that date.
The only exception is for residents who will turn 18 after the Nov. 26 cut-off date. They may register before their birthday, as long as they will be 18 before Dec.9.
And the information on voter registration is no longer used to pull from for jury duty, Watson said.
"As far as I know, it isn't used for that purpose," he said.