Absentee ballot applications available for Jan. 16 referendum

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A special referendum on Jan. 16 to vote on the proposed renewal of a 7.3 mill property tax for Morgan County Schools is now open to absentee voting, according to John Pat Orr, Morgan County circuit court clerk.
Orr said his office began filling requests for applications to vote absentee Dec. 4 and will continue to do so through Jan.11. The deadline for receipt of absentee ballots in the mail is noon on the day of the election.
Orr said a qualified voter who is not going to be in the county on the day of election may vote absentee simply by coming to his office, filling out an application form and either voting at that time or sending the ballot in by mail at a later date. Requests may also be made on behalf of a qualified voter who is away in college or in the military service. These ballots are mailed to the individual for whom a request is made and they are required to return the ballot by mail.
School officials were caught by surprise when they were reminded that a 7.3 mill property tax approved in 1976 for 30 years was approaching its Sept. 30 termination. They acted immediately by passing a resolution requesting the Morgan County Commission to approve a special referendum so that voters would have an opportunity to decide whether or not they wanted to renew it. The tax generates about $500,000 a year from the value of real estate and motor vehicles. This revenue supports 75 to 80 teacher units in the school system.
Morgan County School Board Chairman Jimmy Dobbs said school system leaders are unified in their efforts to garner support for the renewal of the tax.
The tax measure doesn’t affect residents of Hartselle or Decatur.