Eight candidates will be in the race for a seat on the city council in the Smithville Municipal Election this summer.
The qualifying deadline was noon today (Thursday), March 19th.
Three aldermen will be elected on Tuesday, June 16th, each to serve a two year term. Early voting will be held May 27th through June 11th. All voting will be conducted in the basement courtroom of the courthouse near the election commission office.
The three incumbent aldermen, Jerry Hutchins, Sr., Tonya Sullivan, and Willie Thomas, will all be seeking re-election. The challengers include Gary Durham, Shawn Jacobs, Aaron Meeks, Todd Van Dyne, and W.J. (Dub) White.
The deadline to register to vote in time for the election is May 18th.
The election commission also wants to remind you of the registration requirements.
In order to vote in the City of Smithville Elections, you must either reside inside the city limits or own property inside the city limits.
If you own property within the corporate limits of the City of Smithville but live outside the city, you may become a property rights voter as long as you reside in DeKalb County and own property at least 7,500 square feet in size inside the city.
This privilege is extended to no more than two persons per deed. If you meet these conditions you may register as a city voter with the DeKalb County Election Commission provided you show proof of property ownership and residency.
Officials say you must provide a certified copy of a deed and an affidavit that verifies that you still own the property. You must also provide a copy of your most recent DeKalb County property tax notice and proof of residence in DeKalb County by whatever proof is required by the Administrator of Elections.
Absentee Voting by Mail
To vote by mail, a registered voter must fall under one of the following categories:
The voter will be outside the county of registration during the early voting period and all day on election day;
The voter or the voter’s spouse is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county of registration;
The voter’s licensed physician has filed a statement with the county election commission stating that, in the physician’s judgment, the voter is medically unable to vote in person. The statement must be filed not less than five (5) days before the election and signed under the penalty of perjury. The statement must be notarized;
The voter resides in a licensed facility providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, other than a penal institution, outside the voter’s county of residence;
The voter will be unable to vote in person due to service as a juror for a federal or state court;
The voter is sixty-five (65) years of age or older;
The voter has a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place;
The voter is hospitalized, ill, or physically disabled and because of such condition, cannot vote in person;
The voter is a caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled;
The voter is a candidate for office in the election;
The voter serves as an election day official or as a member or employee of the election commission;
The voter’s observance of a religious holiday prevents him or her from voting in person during the early voting period and on election day;
The voter possesses a valid commercial driver license and certifies that he or she will be working outside the state or county of registration during the early voting period and all day on election day. The request should contain the CDL number;
The voter is a member of the military or is an overseas citizen.
Requesting a Ballot
A registered voter may request a by-mail ballot by sending a written request to the DeKalb County Election Commission. The request must have the voter’s signature. The request may be mailed or faxed to the county election commission office. Upon receipt of the request, the local election commission will mail an application for ballot to the voter. The application must be mailed back to the election commission and a ballot will be mailed to the voter.
However, if the voter wants to expedite the application process, the voter may place the following information in the request for ballot:
The name of the registered voter;
The address of the voter’s residence;
The voter’s social security number;
The address to mail the ballot outside the county (this applies only when the reason for voting by mail involves that the voter will be outside of the county during early voting and on election day);
The election the voter wishes to participate in. If the election involves a primary, the political party in which the voter wishes to participate;
The reason the voter wishes to vote absentee; and
The voter’s signature. (If the voter is unable to sign his/her name, contact the Election Commission office for details.)
A request that contains this information will be treated and processed as an application for ballot, and a ballot will be mailed to the voter.
A registered voter may request an application for by-mail ballot no earlier than ninety (90) days before the election and no later than seven (7) days before the election. To be processed for the next election, the application must be received by the election commission no later than five (5) days before the election.
In order to be counted the ballot must be received by election day. The ballot must be returned by mail and not hand delivered.
For more information call 597-4146 or go by the election commission office in the courthouse.
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