On Tuesday, August 28,  the polls  will open for voting in the municipal elections throughout the state.

Candidates must qualify for municipal offices with the city or town  clerks between July 3rd and July 17th.

All city and town Council offices are up for the election  as well  as the Mayors’  seats.

Voters cast  their ballot at their local polling place unless  they qualify for an  absentee ballot.

To obtain an absentee  ballot,  the voter must first get an application at City Hall and state the reason he/she will be  unable to be in the city on election day.

That application must be filled out and mailed  back to city hall. When the application is  received a ballot will be mailed  to the voter, who fills it out and  mails  it back to city hall.

The only exception to  this policy is for voters who are home-bound and must send someone to pick up a ballot for them. The fact that they are physically incapable  of picking up a ballot  must be verified prior to a  ballot being mailed out.

Polling places and districts for the August 28 election for  the City of Eutaw are:

District 1 – Black Warrior Electric Company;

District 2 – Carver Middle School;

District 3 – Eutaw Presbyterian  Church;

District 4 – Branch Heights Community Center;

District 5 – National Guard  Armory.

The polling places  for the towns of Forkland, Boligee and Union are in the respective town halls.

On  election day, the polls  open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Candidate guide available

from  Municipal League

According to information from the Alabama League of Municipalities, since the 2008 Municipal Elections changes have been made to the Fair Campaign Practices Act (FCPA) found in Sections  17-5-1 through 17-5-19 of the Code of Alabama 1975.  The FCPA sets out rules for how and when candidates can raise and spend money when running for public office. It also provides for specific reporting requirements for candidates who raise and spend money.

For local elections the FCPA requires all candidates who receive contributions or make expenditures of $1,000 or more to report their financial activities. The Code of Alabama 1975 also provides that candidates may not convert campaign funds to personal use.

For more information on municipal elections in general, the Alabama League of Municipalities recommends a review of the publication “Procedures for Holding Elections in Mayor-Council Municipalities.”

The League also recommends a review of the “Candidate Filing Guide” which is available from the Elections Division of the Alabama Secretary of State.