Letter to my Secretary of State in Alabama, John Harold Merrill:
I just moved to the State of Alabama from the State of Washington and I am having a hell of a lot of problems getting very basic information that is absolutely necessary for an informed voter in a democratic society -- which I hope Alabama is.-- to function as an informed voter.
When I go to the Washington State Legislature on line, which state practices good old American democracy as laid out in the U.S. and Washington State Constitutions, the first thing I get is a request for my residential address so I can determine who my state representatives are. I've been searching and searching the Alabama State website and all I get is nothing. Is your office kind of like they run things in Russia and China where they suppress this kind of information in order to keep their citizens ignorant and stupid? I certainly hope this is not so.
My new Alabama address is:
Karen Hedwig Backman
XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX
I will be calling your office this coming week to get this very usually simple matter straightened out and I do believe that it is my sacred duty as an involved and informed citizen to let the people of Alabama know what information they should have -- just in case Alabama turns out to be like Russia and China.
I do believe you have an obligation to me and the other tax-paying and voting citizens who should have their voices in a democracy heard to make it easy for Alabama residents to find out who their state representatives are.
Please advise me as to what Alabama policies are in regard to voter information.
Thank you.
I hope Secretary Merrill lets me know real soon because, of course, I have a lot to discuss with my state reps.