ALABAMA STATE CaPTOL (334) 242-7200 {600 DexteR AVENUE Fax (334) 242.4993 Sure $-105 WWW.SOS ALABAMA. COV Moxtoousny, AL 36130 JOR MEARILDSOSALABAMA.COV SECRETARY OF Stare. ‘August 25,2021 ‘The Honorable Sandy Stimpson Mayor City of Mobile 205 Government St. Mobile, AL 36602 Dear Mayor Stimpson, [At your request this fice monitored Tuesday's municipal election. We had 4insviduals observing the various poling ste, and one individual who abraved the opening and counting of absentee ballots. \We aso had five staff members handling phones, et, in Montgomery and coordinating with our eld people. Each poling location was visited atleast twice ducing the day. Generally speaking the election was well run, We had several complains/inquitles throughout the day that were resolved by explaining the law to the indica (for example, the 30. limit for campaigning atthe polls) or pointed out to and corrected by the Chief Inspector. The inquires ranged from ‘campaigning onsite, address on license not matching voter cegistation, and county residents not being allowed to vote in municipal election. Our office receved approximately twenty to twenty-five cas of this nature. They were all resolved tothe votes’ and our satisfaction Again, these were the normal Inquires that occur in any election, ‘There were several issues withthe Express Vete machines not bing set up or not being et up propery. ‘There were several poll workers at various pling paces that commented that they wished they had received more traning. “There were several matters that lid cause us concern They area follows “+ flse church visit 6-4 Five provislonal ballots, instead of being segregated, were run through the tabulator Those votes wil have to count, regardless of whether or not they were val ‘+ Kate Sheppard Schoo! District 4-5 ~ Provisional alla were being inserted into the tabulator instead of being segregated. We were unable to determine a number of provisional ballots that ‘were treated this way, and those votes will aso have to count.‘The Honorable Sandy Stimpson ‘Avgust 26, 2021, Page? ‘+ ichold Mertz Elementary District 35 In the morning, the poll pads at this site were not ‘working. Poll workers aloweé people tovote a rormal balot without their registration being verified. These balots were placed inthe emergency bin without the voter's identity being ‘documented, There were twenty ofthese balos. These ballots should net count because these voters identties cannot be verified ‘+ Absentee — After absentees had been ru, the Cy Clerk asted our representative what she should do with a stack of roughly 16 ballots. Our representative asked her what they were, and he informed hin that they were ballot that would not ga through the machine. She stated that {or these balots, two absentee workers, with pol watchers as witness, would mark new ballots. This is highly improper. Absentee ballots must be counted by hand if they won't go ‘through the machine. The clerk was told to save these ballots, note the fats, and save therm should there be a recount or contest led, ‘As youcan tll allofthe problematic issues were cause by pol worker eror. More taining may be the answer this Ifyou have questions or comments, please donot estate to contact me at hugh evans@sos alabama gov or (384) 353-7857 or Sarah Telofski at sarah tclofsti@sos alabama gov or (334) 353-9626, Sig Hugh evans, General Counsel ‘Alabama Secretary of State's Office ce: LiseC. Lambert, Cty Clerk