WINSTON COUNTY - There will be key state offices, including one with a split district for Haleyville, on the ballot for the Tuesday, June 16 run-off election, as well as voters deciding whether or not a Winston County lodging tax will be implemented.
One of the races on the ballot for Marion County and only some Haleyville residents in Winston County is the run-off in the Alabama House of Representatives District 17 race between Phil Segraves and Micheal Beck, the two top vote getters from the May 19, primary election, neither of whom having the 50 percent plus one vote needed to avoid a run-off, noted Winston County election officials.
Since District 17 is a split district in Winston County, the two polling locations in Haleyville will each have two different Republican ballot styles for voters, emphasized Winston County Elections Manager Sheila Moore.
“Not everybody who votes in these precincts gets to vote in the District 17 race,” Moore pointed out. “You have to live within that district. There are other people who live outside that district line who vote within those precincts.
The two different Republican ballots will be for those voting at the Haleyville Neighborhood Facilities Building, as well as the Haleyville Senior Center, depending on the way District 17 is split in the Haleyville area, Moore explained.
Voters to decide on Winston County lodging tax
referendum
The referendum for the Winston County lodging tax on the June 16 ballot, was explained by Moore, with a more in-depth article to be published in next week’s edition.
Wording on the ballot pertaining to the lodging tax will read, “Do you favor the adoption of Act. #2026-435, of the 2026 legislation of the Alabama Legislature, establishing an eight percent tax on lodging charges, and a $5 fire protection fee per night on lodging accommodations?”
“You have to vote yes or no on that,” Moore explained.
All ballots at all Winston County polling sites will give voters the option of voting yes or no on the lodging tax, Moore explained.
The tax will only affect lodging at any hotel, motel, inn, tourist camp, tourist cabin, short-term rental or any other place in which accommodations are regularly furnished to transients for consideration in Winston County, Moore explained.
“From what I am understanding, this will help bring revenue into Winston County,” Moore explained.
Division of lodging tax proceeds
Proceeds from the lodging tax would be distributed through the following break-down:
55 percent going for road and bridge improvements, 20 percent to the sheriff’s office, 15 percent to the county general fund to promote tourism development, including, but not limited to, marketing, visitor attractions and recreational development, Moore explained.
Also, 10 percent of the lodging tax proceeds will go to the county general fund to be first used exclusively to retire any outstanding debts or loans associated with the construction of the Winston County Judicial Building and jail existing at the time the tax is passed, she continued.
After these loans and debts have been satisfied, the proceeds from that 10 percent generated from the lodging tax would go for other lawful county purposes, she continued.
Deadline to vote
absentee in person is June 11
Although the deadline to register to vote in the June 16 run-off already passed on May 29, the last day a person can vote absentee in-person at the Winston County Commission office is Thursday, June 11, at 4:30 p.m., according to Winston County election officials.
“You have to go to the Winston County Commission to apply for your absentee ballot,” Moore reminded. “That is for a walk-in.
“If you are going to vote an absentee ballot, where you know you are not going to be in town on June 16, you need to be coming over here and voting in person,” Moore stressed.
“You don’t need to try to do it by mail. People have already marked for an absentee ballot from the primary to the primary run-off. Their ballots will go out to them on (June) 2. They need to get them right back in the mail because they have to be in the post office, postmarked and in the post office box of the election manager by noon (June) 16,” Moore strongly emphasized.
Absentee voting is for registered voters who will not be able to go to the polls to vote June 16, Moore explained.
Other state office run-offs to be
decided June 16
Other state offices with run-offs on the June 16 ballot include:
Democrat ballot: U.S. Senate between Everett Wess and Dakarai Larriet, Moore indicated.
On the Republican ballot, voters will see run-off races for the U.S. Senate between Barry Moore and Jared Hudson; lieutenant governor between John Wahl and Wes Allen; attorney general between Katherine Robertson and Jay Mitchell; commissioner of agriculture and industries between Corey Hill and Christina Woerner McInnis and Public Service Commission Place 2 between Jim Zeigler, and Chris Beeker, 24.54.
The referendum on the Winston County lodging tax will be on both the Democratic and Republican ballots, Moore said.
Voters must vote same party ballot for run-off as
primary
Whatever political party-- Republican or Democrat--that a voter cast a ballot in for the May 19 primary, the voter is required by law to vote the same party for the run-off election June 16, Moore emphasized.
“If you voted just a constitutional amendment ballot in the primary, you can vote in either party,” Moore further explained.
Each election is important, Moore pointed out.
“You need to take the time to go vote,” Moore emphasized. “It’s your right to go vote. You need to exercise that right.”
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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