Semmes News

With 73 of 101 precincts counted, Republicans had leads in races for Mobile County revenue commissioner, license commissioner and treasurer.

Breaking News from the Press-Register: http://blog.al.com/live/2008/11/gop_leading_in_mobile_county_r.html

Posted by Dan Murtaugh November 04, 2008 10:09 PM

Mobile County Probate Court results showed:

Race: MOBILE COUNTY LICENSE COMMISSIONER

DEM ELIZABETH PEOPLES EDWARDS 54,328 44.4% REP KIM SMITH HASTIE 68,081 55.6%

Race: MOBILE COUNTY REVENUE COMMISSIONER

DEM RENEE H. WILLIAMS 67,897 45.0% REP MARILYN E. WOOD 83,145 55.0%

Race: MOBILE COUNTY TREASURER

DEM MILTON MORROW 66,188 44.5% REP AL SESSIONS 82,550 55.5%

Mobile County Commissioner Mike Dean beats Democratic challenge Brad Warren

Posted by Rhoda A. Pickett November 04, 2008 11:25 PM

From the Press-Register: http://blog.al.com/live/2008/11/mobile_county_commissioner_mik.html

Mobile County Commissioner Mike Dean, a Republican, was re-elected to a third term in the District 3 seat.

With 99 precincts reporting, Dean received 35,086 votes to 22,762 for Democratic challenger Brad Warren, the chairman of the Mobile County Democratic Party.

Dean, celebrating his victory tonight, said he wanted to continue building relationships with local and state political leaders, and encouraging residents to partcipate in the community.

"I want to continue the partnerships we have," Dean said. "I want us to take back our communities and want to get people more involved.

"I look forward to my third time on the commission. It's a tough job and I'm the man for the job and I think I can make thing happen in this community."

County commissioners serve four-year terms and receive $79,000 annually, plus expense allowances.

A local amendment in Mobile County authorizing the Alabama Legislature to establish a procedure by which a dog can be declared dangerous and provide penalties for owners passed by a wide margin Tuesday.

From the Press-Register: http://blog.al.com/live/2008/11/mobile_county_dangerous_dog_am.html

Mobile County passes Pay-As-You-Go road program passes

From the Press-Register: Posted by Dan Murtaugh November 04, 2008 10:17 PM

http://blog.al.com/live/2008/11/mobile_county_passes_payasyoug.html

With 73 of 101 precincts counted, Mobile County voters appeared to have passed the county's Pay-As-You-Go road program.

Probate Court results showed:

Race: PAY-AS-YOU-GO FOR 77,289 68.1% AGAINST 36,185 31.9%

Barack Obama has taken a commanding lead over John McCain in the presidential election.

From FoxNews -- http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/04/wrap-polls-start-close-frenied-day-voting/

Barack Obama will become the first black president of the United States, with a sweeping Election Day victory.

Change has come.

Barack Obama made history Tuesday night when he was elected to become the first black president of the United States.

The 47-year-old Democratic junior senator from Illinois swept to a landslide victory over his Republican opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain, building an Electoral College majority of at least 349 votes.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," Obama told a massive crowd of cheering supporters in Chicago's Grant Park Tuesday night.

"It's been a long time coming, but tonight because of what we did on this day, in this election, on this defining moment, change is coming to America."

With his victory, Obama, the Hawaiian-born son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas, is poised to turn the page on Republican policies of the last eight years, as well as some racial barriers that have stood for generations.

McCain, speaking in Phoenix, Ariz., said he called Obama to concede. He urged his supporters to move beyond their "disappointment," and said Obama was worthy of respect for the race he had run.

"Whatever our differences, we are all Americans," McCain said, with running mate Sarah Palin standing by his side. "Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours."

President Bush also called Obama to congratulate him.

The Illinois senator climbed over the top at 11 p.m. ET Tuesday with victories in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. It takes 270 electoral votes to win.

The crowd of tens of thousands in Grant Park erupted in cheers once it was clear the Illinois senator had clinched the presidency.

Vote today

Posted by Press-Register Staff November 04, 2008 6:28 AM

Categories: Top Stories

http://blog.al.com/live/2008/11/vote_today_1.html

Alabama voters today cast ballots in national, statewide and local races.

Polls: Polls will be open statewide from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voter ID: Postcards sent to all registered voters will be accepted as identification, as will a driver's license, utility bill or other document with the voter's name and address.

Acceptable forms of identification can be found on the Alabama Secretary of State's Web site: www.sos.state.al.us/Elections/VoterID.aspx

Election results: Visit www.al.com throughout today and tonight for updates. Results will be posted as soon as they become available, including Mobile and Baldwin counties' precinct-by-precinct returns. The precinct tallies will also appear in Thursday's Press-Register.

On the tube: CBS affiliate WKRG-TV5, NBC affiliate WPMI-TV15 and FOX affiliate WALA-TV10 will offer local updates through the evening. They will have fuller information during late newscasts: 9 p.m. for WALA and 10 p.m. for WKRG and WPMI.

Problems, questions?: In Mobile County, voters can call election officials at 574-8480 to report problems, or call the Board of Registrars at 574-8586 to ask where to vote.

In Baldwin County, voters can report problems at 937-0285, 928-3002 or 943-5061; Baldwin voters can ask where to vote by calling 937-0305, 990-4614 or 972-6877.

Voters statewide can report alleged violations or voter fraud to the Alabama Attorney General's Office hotline at 1-800-831-8814.

From WKRG, Steve Alexander reporting:

http://www.wkrg.com/politics/article/how_long_will_you_wait/20599/

Put on comfortable shoes when you vote Tuesday. Mobile County Probate Court officials said turnout could be higher than 80 percent.

But, they have added ten new precincts in time for this election.

Election equipment was moved in to the county's 99 precincts over the weekend.

Probate Court Judge Don Davis said, "We have over 30,000 new voters in Mobile County that were registered between January 1 and October 24 of 2008."

In one case, four new polling places were carved out of one.

Many churches and recreation halls serve as polling places in Mobile. The Mug Café is one of them. It's actually part of the student ministry for Knollwood Church in west Mobile.

Brian Engl who runs the Mug Café said, "Anytime there's people and life in this place, I love it." Engl spent part of Monday re-painting the cafe's walls. Election equipment was already in place.

Engl said, "They (election workers) bring it over and I don't touch it. They bring their people and they take care of it, set it up and everything."

Still, Engl said he planned to arrive at the Mug Café at 6 am Tuesday. He said, "I'm going to get here, make some coffee and get out."

News story by Chad Petri, Reporter for WKRG.

http://www.wkrg.com/politics/article/poll_workers_in_mobile_prepare/20545/

Today about two hundred poll workers were sworn in. They answer questions, check IDs and keep lines moving.

“I just enjoy seeing people come out that complain all year long and vote & the ones that don't show up I know they didn't do their civic duty,” says poll worker Mary Walker. She's been a volunteer for more than 20 years. She says she likes being a part of the democratic process.

“[I like] being visible so people see I'm concerned with them getting in and out of the polls,” says Walker. Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis says this election may exceed the 80-percent voter turnout of 1992's Clinton Bush Race.

“We have an excellent group of chief clerks and poll workers in Mobile County they're very attentive to detail,” says Davis. The workers learned key aspects of the voting process like ballot handling and keeping order. Davis says he expects the election to run smoothly.

“It's not just Probate Court it's the Mobile County Commission, it involves the board of registrars, the Sheriff's Department, Circuit Court Clerk's Office,” says Judge Davis. After getting instructions, poll workers leave with stacks of ballots and signs that they will place at the polling locations. Polls are open from 7am to 7pm Tuesday.

Mobile Police arrested Kimberly Jones Saturday on four counts of second-degree theft of property in connection with thefts during a wedding this summer.

Oct. 26 - Seven area fire departments battled a rash of fires they say were set on purpose.

A local hotel investor paid $884,000 for about 2 acres in the Rivercane project near Interstate 65 at Alabama 21 in Atmore and plans to build a four-story Hampton Inn & Suites, according to Tim Her rington of ...

Oct. 23 - The man accused of killing a local waitress in a hit and run waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday.

October 22- What authorities believed all along is now confirmed with scientific evidence.

October 16 - Some of our local school kids are taking on politics. Four students at Semmes Elementary School played the parts of Sarah Palin, John McCain, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden on Thursday.

One of the winners from Tuesday's annexation vote was the group of residents trying to create their own city of Semmes.

The leaders of the incorporation effort said they were forced to pause for the results of an annexation referendum along Moffett Road, which would have put several businesses within Mobile that Semmes leaders wanted to include in their new city.

The Moffett Road annexation failed by about 60 votes, and Semmes residents said they are resuming their incorporation efforts.

Eight female students at Mary G. Montgomery High, some reportedly cheerleaders, were arrested and handcuffed at the school Thursday morning for toilet-papering and vandalizing another cheerleader's house, ...

October 9 - Eight Mary G. Montgomery High School students were arrested on the school's campus Thursday afternoon after Mobile County Sheriff's officials say the juveniles vandalized a home.

Some people are very happy about the results for the annexation elections Tuesday night. Voters in the proposed Moffett Road Annexation Area voted 57% AGAINST joining the City of Mobile.

Oct. 6 - Voters in parts of our area are preparing to head to polls. The issue - join the city or remain in the county.

September 28 - A Semmes man was killed after he was struck by a vehicle late Friday night.

Mobile's annexation proposal is reigniting efforts by some rural lawmakers to shrink the city's 5-mile-wide planning jurisdiction.