Over 5,000 voters in Montgomery County had received postcards from the county informing them that they were now in Congressional District 7. That was incorrect. All of Montgomery County is now in CD2.
When the voters reached the polls, the ballots were printed correctly. Reports are that all voters in Montgomery County saw CD2 candidates on their ballots.
Think the incorrect postcards, mailed in January, resulted in widespread voter confusion? Think again. ONE voter contacted Montgomery County officials and complained.
That one complaint was confirmed. He did indeed vote in CD2, but his postcard read CD7. The Board of Voter Registrars then checked his entire precinct and found that all voters there were told (postcarded) the wrong congressional district. So, they re-mailed postcards to that entire voting precinct with the correction.
Problem solved? Not quite. It turns out there were over 4,000 voters in other precincts who had also received postcards listing the wrong congressional district. No one noticed, or at least no one said anything.
The Chairman of the Board of Voter Registrars for Montgomery County, Buddy Snipes, said the effect of the postcard error on the primary voting was "minuscule."
The problem began when federal courts rejected the redistricting plan passed by the Alabama legislature and signed into law by the governor. The districts drawn by a federal designee put all of Montgomery County into CD2. Previously, parts of western Montgomery County were in adjacent CD7, represented by Democrat Rep. Terry Sewell (D-Birmingham). Parts of eastern Montgomery County were in adjacent CD3, represented by Republican Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Anniston).
All of those Montgomery County voters were to be listed in CD2. Reportedly, due to a software glitch, it did not get done on the January postcards. On a positive note, the ballots were all printed with the correct districts.
Jim Zeigler is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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