Announcements

Judge to Give Alabama Democratic Party Registered Voter List

For Immediate ReleaseContact: Lindsay Waits

October 2, 2008(334) 262-2221

Secretary of State Agrees to Provide List by 5 p.m. CST

MONTGOMERY, AL- In an emergency court hearing this morning, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge William Shashy indicated that he will sign an order based on an agreement reached between the Alabama Democratic Party and Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman. The order will immediately grant Alabama Democrats access to the latest voter file, ending a month-long fight over the party's right to be granted a free copy of the file for the General Election of 2008. Chapman will provide both the Democratic and Republican parties with an updated copy of the official registered voter list by close of business today.

According to the agreement, Chapman must make free copies of the list available to both parties before each primary and general election held within the state. Both the Democratic Party and Secretary Chapman agreed the statute needed revision and will attempt to craft a bi-partisan solution in a future session of the Alabama Legislature. Until that change in the law is made, Secretary Chapman agreed she will provide a free copy to the state parties for a primary and general election in the same year.

The ruling comes after Chapman's attempt to collect more than $28,000 from the Alabama Democratic Party in exchange for access to the list, which had been provided free of charge to the party prior to previous elections.  Last week, Joe Turnham addressed the media in a press conference held at the Alabama Democratic Party headquarters in Montgomery, Ala.  "We need to know who's registered and who isn't registered, so we can contact these people that aren't registered in the next 30 days and encourage them to register to vote. Our candidates need the latest and best lists so we can conduct an election." Turnham filed suit last Friday to gain access to the list for the November 4th General Election.

 In a statement released today, Turnham was relieved the impasse was over and thanked Judge Shashy and Beth Chapman, attorneys James Anderson and Jean Brown for their efforts to settle the matter. "Alabama Democrats will fight every day to make sure that all eligible voters are empowered by the electoral process. We feel that we won a victory for the people of Alabama today." Turnham concluded.

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