About Alabama — Exercise Your Right to Vote This Year

Anyone who watches TV realizes it is time to elect the state officials who will govern Alabama for the next four years. The primary election to select party nominees will occur June 1, followed by runoffs July 13 and the general election Nov. 2. Over the next few weeks, every citizen should learn about the candidates and then vote.

It is important to focus on selecting good legislators, because the Legislature is the “board of directors” for state government. Its members vote on the state budget, adopt statewide laws and have great power over local governments in their home counties.

Only legislators can submit proposals to the people for amending or rewriting the state constitution. Thus legislative involvement is critical to improving Alabama government. Legislators earn a minimum of $52,596 annually and should be expected to accomplish more than just passing a budget on time.

Each voter helps elect two legislators: one to serve in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. If you are unsure which of the 105 House districts and 35 Senate districts you live in, then visit www.legislature.state.al.us and search by your ZIP code. Knowing your legislative district numbers will help you find the right information to study.

Voters also will fill other state and federal offices. The secretary of state has a list at www.sos.state.al.us/elections/2010/2010Offices.aspx.

Finally voters will decide on proposed constitutional amendments in the June and November elections. Today the constitution has 828 amendments, many of them purely local.

In June, Alabama voters will consider amendments to

• create a promotional program for propane gas, funded by industry assessments;

• prohibit land applications containing “treated human sewage biosolids” (local votes in three counties); and

• allow the Legislature to set court charges (local votes in three other counties).

The Legislature this year approved at least 25 other proposed local constitutional amendments for future consideration. One would allow Madison County to control dangerous dogs.

You may wonder why these are constitutional issues or why every county needs its own version of a local amendment. These are hard questions to answer — ask a legislative candidate to explain.

EDITOR’S NOTE — Jim Williams is executive director for the nonprofit, nonpartisan Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.