MONTGOMERY — Alabama Governor Kay Ivey voted in downtown Montgomery on Tuesday morning and took questions from reporters about what is projected to be a record-breaking election.
One reporter asked Ivey about the possibility of civil unrest on election night that some businesses in the state appear to be anticipating by boarding up their windows.
“We are patriots in Alabama. We’re going to set the example and show the people of the nation that we are law-abiding, proud to vote citizens in this state,” she responded.
The governor confirmed that she voted for President Donald Trump and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville.
She added at the polling place that she voted in favor of the first four statewide constitutional amendments, before leaving numbers five and six blank due to them being local issues in northwest Alabama.
RELATED: A guide to the statewide constitutional amendments
Secretary of State John Merrill is predicting that between 2.5 and 2.8 million Alabamians will cast a ballot in the 2020 election, meaning turnout could be as high as 76%, shattering records.
“We have already witnessed record absentee participation and because of the excitement surrounding this election, I expect these numbers will continue to rise today,” Merrill said in a statement on Tuesday.
Pictures of long lines at Alabama precincts were widely shared on social media Tuesday morning, especially in the state’s bigger cities. There are about 3.7 million registered voters in Alabama.
“[W]e have provided masks, gloves, disinfectant spray, alcohol wipes, and other cleaning supplies to polling places across the state to see that voters, poll workers, and others involved in the electoral process are protected,” Merrill assured voters.
Governor Ivey on Tuesday morning remarked that she was pleased to see large numbers of people voting.
“This could be a historic Election Day,” she told the public.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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