Concerns about voter turnout for Sept. 18 election - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Alabama's Secretary of State predicts a low turnout for next week's Special Election.

"We're being optimistic" Secretary Beth Chapman said. "We're saying 20 to 21%. It could go up to 30%."

Chapman explained that since there hasn't been much of an advertising campaign from supporters or opponents of Amendment One, there hasn't been any sort of campaign to get out the vote campaign from interested groups.

Historically, statewide referendums fare better with low turnouts.

In 1999, Gov. Don Siegelman pushed for a statewide lottery. That election drew a 52% turnout and was defeated by voters.

In 2003, Gov. Bob Riley pushed Amendment One, which was a tax initiative to raise more than a billion dollars in revenue. 55% of voters turned out to defeat that proposed constitutional amendment.

Chapman said the September 18 election is different because it is not something that voters have historically opposed.

"I think what's most important about this amendment is that it's not increasing a tax and that is what people really want to know when they call our office" Chapman said.

The newest Amendment One, the only issue on the September 18 ballot, asks voters whether the governor and the legislature could tap the Alabama Trust Fund for $435 million over three years to fund Alabama's Medicaid Agency, the Department of Corrections, and other state services.

Supporters have said the measure is required to fill an immediate shortfall of $145 million for the 2013 General Fund.

Opponents argue that the Alabama Trust Fund is not a piggy bank that the state could use whenever economic times get difficult.

If voters decide against Amendment One, Gov. Robert Bentley would have the option to declare, proration, mandatory spending cuts of up to 20% of all non-education agencies. He could also call a Special Session to bring lawmakers back to Montgomery to attempt to settle the state's revenue issues for the General Fund.

Voters approved a withdrawal from the same fund several years ago to support education and the General Fund.

The election will cost the state $3 million which is the same cost of a standard runoff election.

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