Opinion ID: 1823190
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Missing postmarks

Text: Washington first argues that the trial court disqualified over 102 voters[ [1] ] on the grounds that [the absentee ballots] were not postmarked by the date mandated by Ala.Code 1975, § 17-10-23. According to Washington, [t]his finding is not only contrary to the facts presented into evidence, but also contrary to the requirements set out in [§ 17-10-23]. In support of this contention, Washington cites testimony by the elections manager to the effect that she had retrieved some of the prospective ballots from the United States Postal Service that did not have postmarks. Washington also cited testimony by the circuit clerk of Hale County that in past elections unmetered ballots had been retrieved from the United States Post Office. Washington also argues that a strict construction of election-law requirements is contrary to Alabama policy. We are not persuaded by these arguments. Ala.Code 1975, § 17-10-23, states, in relevant part: No absentee ballot shall be opened or counted if received by the absentee election manager by mail, unless postmarked as of the date prior to the day of the election and received by mail not later than noon on the day of election. . . .  The statutory language is clear that unless ballots retrieved from the United States Post Office are postmarked no later than the day before the election, they may not be counted. Thus the trial court was correct to reject the ballots that had been retrieved from the Post Office without such postmark.