ALABAMA SECRETARY OF STATE WES ALLEN IS IN ELECTION PREPARATION MODE

Alabama voters will have a chance to let their voices be heard March 5, also known as Super Tuesday, with more than 2,000 polling locations statewide.

That’s when voters will decide who they’d like to see on the ballot for president in November alongside some major state and local elections. You can check out who’s on the ballot right here.

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen and his team have been hard at work getting ready for this election cycle.

“We got a great team in place that starts preparing months and months in advance,” Allen said. “There’s constant communication with the local elected officials who are in charge of the elections on the local level. They work extremely hard day in and day out, preparing for the election coming up. We’re in constant communication with them, making sure they can get their questions answered and can get the resources that they need to be successful.”

Allen is a former probate judge who has plenty of experience preparing for local elections. He said he knows how difficult it can be and is thankful for everyone who assists in these elections no matter what role they serve.

“I know what it’s like to be at the courthouse at 5:30 in the morning on Election Day,” Allen said. “I know what it’s like to appoint all those poll workers, put on the training for the poll workers, and proof the ballots and get the ballots ready to be printed. I know what it’s like to travel to the precincts throughout our county on election day.”

Those experiences helped him understand the needs and desires of local officials who are in charge of administering elections, he said.

“I have a unique local perspective that when we get questions from probate judges and circuit clerks and sheriffs, that’s not foreign language to me,” Allen said. “I understand because I’ve been in their shoes, and I know how difficult it is at the local level.”

Thanks to these local officials, Allen’s job is easier and stress-a free throughout the year and even on Election Day.

“It’s just satisfying to know you work with such fine people,” Allen said. “They do such a great job and we’re just here to help help them and to supplement wherever they need it. I’m just grateful for the relationships that we’ve been able to build with these local officials.”

Allen and his team don’t encounter much trouble with these elections thanks to the system the state of Alabama uses, he said, but the anticipation of Super Tuesday is always on their minds.

“It’s gonna be a long day,” Allen said. “It’s no different than how you prepare for a game. As a former walk-on football player at the University of Alabama, you put preparation in, you work hard, and you’re ready to go on game day.”

As secretary of state, Allen said he supports the local officials who help his team get ready for elections each year. Allen also helps put together local elections statewide to help elect these officials and others to assume the duties of local government. Allen believes it is vital in voting on local elections as well as statewide and national elections.

“There’s a lot of local offices all over the state, and I support individuals to do their research and to make sure they know who they’re voting for and what they stand for,” Allen said. “Local leadership matters; those local elected officials, those people are your leaders in your community. It’s important that people do their research and vote in local elections.”

Earlier this month, Tuscaloosa Probate Judge Rob Robertson shared a need for poll workers throughout Tuscaloosa County when talking to WVUA 23’s Digital team. Allen reinforced that sentiment, saying poll workers are needed around the whole state. But, he said, they’re tackling the issue through several programs aimed at enlisting the help of different ages and professions.

“We want to we want to recruit more attorneys through the Lawyers for Liberty program,” Allen said. “We’re working with the Alabama State Bar to see if any attorneys want to get continuing education hours […] if they sign up, they will go through the training and work on Election Day, and receive service hours for continuing education towards their total for the year.”

Allen also highlighted programs encouraging students and veterans to get involved and work the polls.

“Veterans have defended our freedom and our constitutional right to vote before so we think that’s a natural tie-in to help secure election day,” Allen said. “For students, it’s a good way for them to see how the process works and then learn about civics.”

Allen and his team have taken every step possible to ensure voter and ballot fraud doesn’t make it’s way to Alabama. Allen thanked the Alabama State Legislature for their help in ensuring safe elections through the passage of two bills in 2023.

“The legislature last year passed a law to make sure that we’ll always have paper ballots in all of our elections,” Allen said. “That’s very important because we’ll always have the receipts if anything gets contested. They also passed a bill to make sure the tabulators that we use on Election Day can never be connected to the internet. They only plug into the wall and that electricity is used to power the tabulator.”

Alabama’s voter ID laws and using only one day to vote also ensure election integrity, he said.

“When someone goes in to vote, they will present a valid photo identification,” Allen said. “We have Election Day in Alabama, we don’t have an election month. We don’t have early voting.”

Thanks to all of these laws and stipulations, Alabama’s voting system is fast, easy, and safe as possible.

“These are all really important to maintain election security, safe, secure, transparent elections, and that folks can have confidence in our elections process in Alabama,” Allen said. “At the end of the night in Alabama, you’re gonna know who wins and loses. It’s not gonna take weeks to count votes.”

There is one other option for Alabamians who can’t make it to the polls on Election Day. Alabamians can register to vote absentee here but hurry because the deadline is fast approaching. Allen encourages Alabamians to vote in person, but if that’s not an option, your voice will be and should be still heard.