Probate Judge Bobby Martin is emphasizing the need for flow during today’s election process. He says voters should know how they will mark their ballot before entering the polling place.

Martin suggests that voters obtain a sample ballot, study it carefully, and have it marked so they can transpose the marks from the sample ballot to the official ballot.

“It saves you a lot of time to do that,” Martin said.

People should also be aware that the ballot is two-sided. The backside of the ballot lists candidates for county offices as well as local amendments.

There are also two styles of ballots, Ballot 1 and Ballot 2. Ballot 1 is issued to people who live within municipalities, while Ballot 2 is issued to residents of rural Chilton County.

All rural residents will have the option of voting on Local Amendment No. 1, which is the redistribution of tax money among Chilton County’s rural volunteer fire departments. This amendment will not appear on the ballots of voters who live within corporate limits of cities and towns.

Martin said he looks for about 65-percent turnout this year, compared to between 55- and 60-percent turnout four years ago. For this reason, he asks people to move as fast as they can when going through the voting process.

“We don’t want to rush anybody, but we need to have flow,” he said. “I’ve emphasized that to poll workers.”

Sample ballots are available at the Probate Office in the Chilton County Courthouse. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.