The William A. Daniel Jr. Adolescent Health Center launched its voter registration drive on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The Voter Registration Initiative is a unique nonpartisan program done in collaboration with Government and Community Relations at Children’s of Alabama that provides voting age adolescents, young adults and parents the opportunity to register to vote, apply for an absentee ballot and learn more about voting in Alabama. Through this initiative, patients and their parents have the opportunity to register to vote during their visit to the Adolescent Clinic using iPads or by scanning a QR code with their phone. During their clinic visit, they are also shown how to access information on clinic iPads such as their voting location and the identification needed to vote.
Patients and parents who are uncomfortable interfacing with an electronic device can obtain paper voter registration and absentee ballot applications available in the clinic. Preprinted prescriptions with instructions are also available for parents that encourage them to make children count by registering to vote, voting and completing the census. All Adolescent Health Center providers including clinical nursing assistants, registration staff, residents, fellows and attendings have been trained to talk patients through the voting application process in an encouraging informative style designed to enlighten and empower our patients and families to vote. Participants who choose to register are not told who or what to vote for. Our message is “I Care for Kids and I Vote.”
If you are interested in having a voter registration program in your clinic, please don’t hesitate to contact Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., MPH, Vice-Chair for Community Engagement and division director of the Division of Adolescent Medicine.
To register to vote online or to check your voter registration status, visit the Alabama Votes website.
In Alabama, you may request an absentee ballot if you are concerned about contracting or spreading COVID-19 or unable to vote for other approved reasons. For more information about absentee voting in Alabama visit this website.
Important Dates to Know
Deadline to Register to Vote – October 19, 2020
Deadline to Apply for Absentee Ballot – October 29, 2020
Last Day for Voter to Hand-Deliver or Postmark their Absentee Ballot – November 2, 2020
General Election – November 3, 2020