BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) – We’re on your side in how party officials say they’re working to ensure your vote is protected when you go to the polls.

The Alabama Republican Party will station 200 poll watchers in various districts across Alabama.

GOP officials say this is a historic effort to ensure election integrity in 2024. They will place 200 poll watchers across our state, but they will also send 200 additional poll watchers to Georgia to monitor elections in a battleground state.

“After the 2020 election, election integrity was shined into the spotlight,” said Jeannie Burniston, ALGOP communications director. “People started coming forward and asking, ‘What can we do to ensure our elections are secure?’ We’ve always had election observers, but we’ve taken it to the next level.

According to her, the task of poll observers is simple but vital.

“They’re just there as observers,” Burniston added. “They are not allowed to have contact with voters. They’re not supposed to do anything but watch, and if they see something isn’t being done correctly, they report it to us and we coordinate with the Secretary of State’s office.”

Still, Burniston says some areas won’t have poll watchers, and if you notice anything strange or concerning happening near a voting booth, you should call them.

“If you notice something that bothers you, we encourage you to call the Secretary of State’s office. Its website is Alabamavotes.gov and his toll-free number is right there on the front of the website,” Burniston said.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will also use poll watchers to monitor voting efforts during the week.

“We will have poll watchers across the state monitoring polling place activities, any potential violations will be recorded and reported to the AL NAACP Command Center, 256-444-1300. The command center will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. We also offer travel to polling locations throughout the state. Call 256-444-1300. The NAACP has attorneys ready to handle legal issues that arise at the state level as well as nationally,” said NAACP President Benard Simelton.

We have also contacted the Secretary of State for comment. His office gave us this statement:

“Since taking office in January 2023, my team and I have made great strides toward strengthening election integrity in Alabama. We have withdrawn from the private, third-party electronic registration information center and replaced it with the Alabama-based solution for maintaining voter files: the Alabama Voter Integrity Database . I have supported legislation ensuring that only paper ballots will be used in Alabama elections and that election tabulators can never be connected to the Internet.

“I have worked to ensure that our current mail-in elections process promotes election security and provides strong protection for mail-in ballots cast in our elections. I have full confidence in the ability of Alabama’s dedicated probate judges, circuit clerks, sheriffs and registrars who have worked hard and are ready to ensure a fair, secure and transparent election on the 5th. november.

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