Marion County Probate Judge Paige Vick

10/12/2026

The Marion County Courthouse will be closed Monday, October 12, 2026, in observance of Columbus Day.

10/08/2026

Absentee Voting Deadline Reminder!!

The Marion County Absentee Election Manager, who is our Circuit Clerk Denise Mixon, must receive mail-in absentee ballot applications by Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The deadline to return an absentee ballot application in person is Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Several people come to the Marion County Courthouse to fill out the application, get the ballot, and return the voted absentee ballot at one time. The deadline to do this is Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Absentee ballots being returned in-person must be received by the county absentee election manager by close of business on November 2, 2026. Absentee ballots returned by mail must be received no later than noon on Election Day, November 3, 2026.

10/01/2026

October 1, 2026 is the first day to purchase your state business and store licenses. You have the entire month to purchase without penalty. These are different from your city licenses.

Remember restaurants must provide their food permit. Car Dealerships must provide their regulatory license. Hotels must provide their hotel permit.

If you have questions, give us a call at (205) 921-2471.

Thank you for doing business in Marion County!

09/29/2026

BALLOT STATEMENT FOR STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 4:

“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours.”

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENT 4

Currently, the Alabama Constitution does not require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or allow the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner during school hours.

If approved, this amendment would require each local board of education to adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once each week during school hours.

A local board of education could instead allow the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner to be performed during school hours by a school-approved band, choir, vocal group, or vocalist using the version archived by the Library of Congress.

If the majority of voters vote “yes” on Amendment 4, the Alabama Constitution will be changed.

If the majority of voters vote “no” on Amendment 4, the Alabama Constitution will not be changed.

09/29/2026

BALLOT STATEMENT FOR STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 3:

“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to recite The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag at the beginning of each school day; and to require local boards of education to adopt a policy authorizing student-initiated and student-led prayer."

EXPLANTION OF AMENDMENT 3

Currently, the Alabama Constitution does not require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance each school day or to adopt policies allowing student-initiated and student-led prayer.

If approved, this amendment would require each local board of education to adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag at the beginning of each school day and give students the opportunity to voluntarily recite the Pledge
of Allegiance.

The amendment would also require each local board of education to adopt a policy allowing student-initiated and student-led prayer in public K-12 schools.

No student could be required to participate in the prayer, and students would have the right to opt out of participating in the Pledge
of Allegiance or the prayer based on their own beliefs. Reported violations would be reviewed by the local superintendent of education.

If the majority of voters vote “yes” on Amendment 3, the Alabama Constitution will be changed.

If the majority of voters vote “no” on Amendment 3, the Alabama Constitution will not be changed.

09/29/2026

BALLOT STATEMENT FOR STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 2:

“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to provide a process for the creation of a consolidated county school system by merging two or more contiguous county boards of education; to require the State Board of Education to conduct an impact study on the potential effects of the consolidation; to require publication of the impact study; to provide a
procedure for protesting a proposed consolidation of two or more county school systems; and to require the State Board of Education to adopt rules."

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENT 2

Currently, each county has a board of education that operates independently. A process allowing the merger of two or more county boards of education does not currently exist in the Alabama Constitution.

If approved, this amendment would allow two or more neighboring county boards of education to agree to merge their county school systems into one multi-county school system by formal resolution of the affected county school boards. Before a merger could occur, the State Board of Education would be required to conduct a study of the proposed merger, including its potential effects on students, families, educational programs, transportation, finances, taxes, and school operations. The study must be published before the merger could be finalized.

If at least 25 percent of the qualified voters in any of the affected county school systems submits a written protest, the proposed merger could not take effect unless it is approved by a majority of the voters in each of the affected counties at the next general election.

In addition to a majority of voters in each county, the amendment also requires that the merger be approved by an overall majority of the votes cast in all the affected counties. The amendment would also require the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the merger process. The Legislature could pass laws to implement approved mergers.

If the majority of voters vote “yes” on Amendment 2, the Alabama Constitution will be changed.

If the majority of voters vote “no” on Amendment 2, the Alabama Constitution will not be changed.

09/29/2026

BALLOT STATEMENT FOR STATEWIDE AMENDMENT 1:

“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to provide for the election of a Lieutenant Governor if the Office of Lieutenant Governor becomes vacant during the first two years of a term, to authorize the Legislature to set the salary of the Lieutenant Governor and officers of the Legislature, and to require any expenditure of legislative funds for travel to be approved by a legislative officer."

EXPLANATION OF THE AMENDMENT

Current law generally provides that if the office of Lieutenant Governor becomes vacant during a term of office, the vacancy remains until the next regular election for that office. The Alabama Constitution also sets the pay of the Lieutenant Governor and certain legislative officers. If approved, this amendment would require an election to fill the office of Lieutenant Governor for the remainder of an unexpired term if the office becomes vacant more than 60 days before the next general election in which state officers are elected.

The amendment would also authorize the Legislature to set the pay of the Lieutenant Governor and officers of the Legislature by joint resolution.

In addition, the amendment would require expenditures of legislative funds for travel by members of the Legislature to be approved by an officer elected by the members of that legislative chamber.

If the majority of voters vote “yes” on Amendment 1, the Alabama Constitution will be changed.

If the majority of voters vote “no” on Amendment 1, the Alabama Constitution will not be changed.

09/29/2026

Election season is on us! The general election will be held November 3, 2026. Here are pictures of the sample ballot. I broke it down into three pictures so it could be more easily read. You notice that there are four proposed amendments to be considered. I will do individual posts for each amendment to try to better explain what the purpose of each amendment is. For now, here are the pictures of the ballot. Click on them to enlarge.

09/06/2026