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March 03, 2008 EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 40 WHEREAS, Alabama is estimated to have over 56,000 overseas citizens that claim Alabama as their residence, and Alabama has over 19,000 uniformed service members, many of them being currently deployed or soon to be deployed, to overseas locations, and Alabama has 11,300 Army National Guard members and 2,200 Air Guard members, almost 1,000 of them being currently deployed overseas and with approximately 1,600 of them being scheduled for overseas deployment during the upcoming year. All of these Alabama citizens are in need of and should be given the ability to effectively and efficiently cast their vote in Alabama elections; and WHEREAS, the State of Alabama is heavily indebted to all of these military service personnel for their service and sacrifice on behalf of Alabama and the United States, and Alabama should provide them the opportunity to fully and effectively participate in our electoral system which is the bedrock of our democracy; and WHEREAS, last year Alabama’s Secretary of State created a bipartisan coalition, which included the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, State Quartermaster/Adjutant of the State Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard, and numerous legislators of both political parties, designed to support legislation which was intended to allow members of the military and their families and all Alabamians located overseas to vote via the internet, under means of tight security; and WHEREAS, Alabama still has the unique opportunity to become a flagship state with regard to military and overseas internet voting, and it is believed that a formal Alabama Military and Overseas Voting Task Force could accomplish much in designing a system and securing the passage of necessary legislation to accomplish these goals. NOW THEREFORE, based upon these considerations, and for other good and valid reasons which relate thereto, I Bob Riley, as Governor of the State of Alabama, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of Alabama do hereby establish the Alabama Military and Overseas Voting Task Force (hereinafter referred to as the “Task Force”) which Task Force will naturally fit within the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Secretary of State, since the Alabama Secretary of State statutorily serves as the Chief Elections Official of the State of Alabama. Said Task Force will be chaired by the Secretary of State of the State of Alabama and function pursuant to the following provisions. BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that the purpose of the Task Force is to engage in discussion and to explore and develop a plan of action for the implementation of a secure system for internet voting for military and overseas citizens of the State of Alabama. The plan should be designed to make it as accessible, convenient, and as secure as possible, for overseas Alabama citizens to cast their vote in all Alabama elections. BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that the Task Force is created and shall operate as an independent council. The Task Force shall have the duties, responsibilities, functions, and authority set forth in this order and otherwise provided by law. The Task Force shall be chaired by the Alabama Secretary of State, and shall include the following ex-officio members, or their officially-named designee: 1. The Governor of Alabama; 2. The Alabama Lieutenant Governor; 3. The Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives; 4. The Alabama Attorney General; 5. The Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard; 6. President of the Alabama Circuit Clerks Association; 7. President of the Alabama Probate Judges Association; 8. President of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama; 9. President of the Alabama Sheriffs Association; 10. President of the Alabama League of Municipalities; 11. Chairperson of the Alabama Registrars Association; 12. Chairperson of the Alabama Voter Registration Advisory Board; 13. Chairperson of the Alabama Electronic Voting Committee; 14. Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs; 15. Alabama’s Chief Information Officer of the Finance Information Services Division; 16. Chairperson of the Governor’s HAVA Implementation Committee, until such time as that Committee no longer exists; and 17. The Alabama HAVA Director. BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that the Task Force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the Chair. All council members shall serve without compensation, except the Legislative members, who shall be compensated by the Legislature, according to Legislative rules and governing such service. BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that no person or individual shall continue to serve, as a member on the Task Force, when he or she no longer officially represents the function or serves in the capacity enumerated in this Executive Order, but shall be replaced by his or her successor in the respective office. BE IT FURTHER ORDERED,that the Task Force shall report one year from the date of establishment to the Governor and the Alabama Legislature on the progress made toward accomplishing their missions. BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that the Governor may elect to appoint additional members at a later date if deemed necessary. BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that this Executive Order is effective immediately and shall remain in effect until amended or modified by the Governor or until terminated by operation of law.
DONE AND ORDERED this 27th day of February, 2008.
___________________________________ Bob Riley Governor Attested: ________________________________ Beth Chapman Secretary of State | |
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