Residents in four areas of West Mobile will be able to vote on whether to officially become part of the city on July 18. The election is from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at four different polling locations. The areas looking at annexation include Airport Corridor, Cottage Hill Corridor, Kings Branch and Orchard Estates.
In order to vote, residents must have moved into one of the four proposed annexation areas no later than April 18 this year.
To help answer questions and share information about the upcoming election, the city of Mobile has created a webpage and several new public tools. One of these tools includes a search tool that allows citizens to enter an address and see whether the property falls within one of the four proposed annexation areas.
Residents can also visit the city’s website to find frequently asked questions about Mobile’s services, tax rates and which neighborhoods can vote in the upcoming annexation referendum. Additional questions can be emailed to annexation2023@cityofmobile.org.
To prepare residents for the annexation election, Mayor Sandy Stimpson released a video statement. Stimpson said there are several benefits to joining the city of Mobile.
“Each year, you and your neighbors contribute approximately $21 million in sales taxes to the city of Mobile, but right now, you do not have any voice in our city government,” Stimpson said in the video. “That’s taxation without representation… You also aren’t enjoying the full benefit of all city services nor are you receiving any city funding for improvements to roads, parks and other critical infrastructure.”
Watch the video from Mayor Stimpson below:
The city of Mobile also released a press release for prospective voters.
"We are excited to invite our neighbors to the west to officially join the city of Mobile," Stimpson said in a press release. "Growing the city's population can help secure a brighter future for the entire region, and there are many benefits to becoming a full citizen of Mobile. We hope this website can help residents in the proposed annexation areas find the answers they need to make an informed decision."
Residents interested must register to vote in the upcoming annexation election by July 3 at 5 p.m. Residents looking for information on how to register can contact the Mobile County Board of Registrars at 251-574-8586 or visit its website. Absentee ballot applications are also available at the Court’s Recording Division in the Mobile County Government Center Annex.
The Mobile City Council unanimously approved the annexation plan on May 9.
