2012 election to feature early primary

The presidential preference primary and primary for county and state Republican and Democratic nominees will both be held March 13, 2012.

If needed, a run-off election will be held April 24, 2012, and the general election will take place on Nov. 6, 2012.

In the 2008 election cycle, the Presidential Primary was conducted in March and the State Primary was held on the first Tuesday in June.

Several other changes of interest to voters have occurred since the 2008 elections.

New voting machines have been purchased and will be used at all voting centers. While similar to the old machines, they will tabulate a different ballot. The voter will register his or her choice of candidates by using a pen to fill in a small circle beside the candidate’s name. Previously, a felt tip marker was used to connect two lines beside the candidate’s name.

Morgan County Probate Judge Greg Cain said one of the new machines has been set up in the Board of Voter Registrars office on the first floor of the courthouse and is available for use as a demonstration model.

“Voters are welcome to drop anytime the courthouse is open and vote a sample ballot on the machine,” he said.

In addition, the old voting booths in voting centers are being replaced with new carousel voting booths. Each carousel has three regular voting booths and a handicap accessible booth.

“I think voters who desire complete privacy when they mark their ballots will find them easy to use,” Cain stated.

Two voting centers will have new locations. The center in Wilson Morgan Park has been moved to First Baptist Church of Austinville and the center at Ryan School has been moved to Ryan Baptist Church.

The candidate qualification deadline for the state primary is Jan. 13, 2012. Both Democratic and Republican parties will begin qualifying candidates in November.