Madison County Board of Elections approves absentee ballots, duplicates overseas/military ballots and seals machine ahead of early voting

The Madison County Board of Elections unanimously approved absentee ballots from ten precincts and completed ballot-duplication and storage procedures during an Oct. 15 absentee session in Marshall.

Chair Jerry Wallin called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. and the board first approved the meeting agenda and minutes by unanimous votes. Members then reported on local recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene; Secretary Dyatt Smathers noted recent state legislation to assist counties and thanked staff for producing a press release distributed by the State Board of Elections.

Director Jacob Ray gave the board an update on preparations for the start of early voting, and Election Technician Kathy Ray described steps the office has taken to process absentee ballots in the storm’s aftermath to maintain continuity and ballot integrity.

In new business the board approved absentee ballots by precinct as follows: Beech Glen (9 ballots), Ebbs Chapel (3), Grapevine (3), Hot Springs (1), Laurel (1), Mars Hill (7), North Marshall (6), Sandy Mush (2), Spring Creek (1), and Walnut (1). Each motion to approve the precinct absentee ballots passed unanimously (5-0). Motions were consistently moved by Secretary Dyatt Smathers and seconded by board members (noted in the minutes by initials); specific mover/second pairs are recorded in the meeting minutes.

The board duplicated overseas and military ballots during the session. According to the minutes, Secretary Smathers served as the caller, Member Debbie Ponder performed the duplication, and Members Ray Lewis and Brian Ball observed and scanned the duplicated ballots into the DS200. The minutes do not specify how many overseas/military ballots were duplicated.

After processing, the board recorded an ending ballot count of 54 on the DS200 and sealed the machine for storage. The minutes do not state that the recorded 54 ballots equal the total of ballots approved that day; they present the recorded ending count as the machine’s stored total at the close of processing.

During public comment Cheryl Williams complimented the board on the professional handling of absentee ballots. The board announced its next absentee meeting for Oct. 22, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. and adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

The minutes and actions taken at the Oct. 15 session focused on procedural approvals, ballot handling and equipment security ahead of early voting, and did not include contested motions, policy changes, or vote breakdowns beyond the unanimous tallies recorded in the minutes.