3,253 new voters registered

By Jean Cole
jean@athensnews-courier.com

October 04, 2008 09:58 pm

— There are already 3,253 more people registered to vote in Limestone County than last year, and that number is expected to climb in the 15 days left to register for the Nov. 4 general election, an official said.
Residents have until 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, to register for the upcoming presidential election. The law requires registration to end 10 days before an election.
“Come in now,” said Lee Liveoak, chairman of the Limestone County Board of Registrars. “Please don’t wait until 10 days prior to fill it out or you will face a line.”
Many have already heeded the call.
As of Friday, Limestone County had 43,478 registered voters compared to 40,225 registered voters a year ago on Sept. 27, Liveoak said.
“It has been hectic the last three months,” said Liveoak, who attributed the increase to the following:
• The upcoming presidential election
• Former Madison residents moving to eastern Limestone County, where residential development has been robust
• Workers transferring to Redstone Arsenal due to the Base Realignment and Closure Act and choosing to live in Limestone County

Registering to vote
Here are two ways to register:
• Go to the Limestone County Board of Registrars office on the second floor of the Limestone County Courthouse Annex at 100 S. Clinton St. in Athens and fill out the form. You will need to know the last four digits of your Social Security number, your driver’s license number or your non-driver ID number. You will receive your voter registration card in the mail, probably before the election. Do not separate the top from the bottom of the card; it can be used as ID when you vote. If you are one of the 200 to 300 who won’t receive your card before the election, you still can vote but you will need a form of ID.
• Print and mail a voter registration form by going on-line to: www.probate.limestonecounty.net/election.htm. Click on “download here” under the dark blue voter registration bar and print the form. Fill out the form and either bring it to the Board of Registrars office on Clinton Street or mail it to 100 S. Clinton St., Suite E, Athens, AL, 35611-2655. For more information about how to register, call the Board of Registrars at (256) 233-6405.
You can also get registration services at the following state and local government offices and agencies:
• Driver’s licensing office
• County and select municipal public libraries
• Department of Human Resources
• WIC program, Department of Public Health
• Medicaid agency
• Department of Rehabilitation Services

Who can vote
In order to vote, you have to meet all of the following requirements:
• You must be a U.S. citizen
• You must live in Alabama
• You must be age 18 on or before the election date
• You must not have a disqualifying felony conviction
• You must not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court of law
Voters living in Athens and Limestone County will vote in one of 25 precincts or polling places. Voters living in parts of Limestone County annexed by Decatur, Madison or Huntsville will vote in one of three precincts or polling places.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

What to bring
Voters must present some sort of identification showing they live in the area where they will be voting. In most cases, this will be a voter ID card or a government-issued photo identification – Alabama driver’s license, non-driver ID, passport or military identification, among others. Also acceptable are utility bills, paychecks and other official documents showing the voter’s name and address.