Pine Level Sets for Inaugural Municipal Election: In the burgeoning town of Pine Level, just 15 miles north of Prattville, the wheels are in motion for the first municipal government. Autauga County Probate Judge Kim Kervin has set the election date for December 12, focusing on electing the mayor and five council members who will shape the destiny of this newly incorporated community.
To throw your hat in the ring, candidates need a minimum three-month residency within Pine Level’s boundaries before the election and must meet the qualifications of a county voter. The qualifying deadline at the probate office in downtown Prattville is November 14, and the absence of a qualifying fee simplifies the process, as there’s no established council to determine election fees for the town. It’s worth noting that municipal elections in Alabama are nonpartisan, with candidates not declaring a political party affiliation.
Come Election Day, the Pine Level Volunteer Fire Department will serve as the polling place, the very site where the incorporation vote took place.
With an estimated population of around 400, Pine Level will adopt a mayor-council form of government, featuring five council members and a mayor, as outlined in the Alabama Bar Association, citing state code. A post-incorporation census puts the population at 398, according to Judge Kervin.
Communities with populations below 12,000 typically adopt this form of government, where the mayor presides over the council. The mayor holds a vote on council matters and can use it to break ties, following state code.
The inaugural election will see both the mayor and council elected at large since council districts are yet to be established. Once the government is in place, it can designate council districts and attend to the town’s business.
Notably, the costs of the election and census will be covered by the original petitioners of incorporation, ensuring a community-driven process.
On September 26, Pine Level residents decisively voted in favor of forming the town, with a 16-vote margin (59 to 43). As the town gears up for its first election, the spirit of civic engagement and community building is palpable in Pine Level.
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