FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Aug. 26 election for mayor and city council in Fairhope is less than six weeks away.

For those residents who will be out of town, or unable due to illness to vote in person on election day, the last day to apply for an absentee ballot is Aug. 21.

City Clerk Lisa Hanks outlined the process for absentee voting during the work session before Monday’s City Council meeting.

“All they have to do is fill out (an application for a ballot), and bring it back or mail it to me,” Hanks said. “Then I will send (the ballot) out to whatever address they give us. They need to specify the address (where they want to receive the ballot).”

Hanks said an application is on the city Web site under the City Clerk section at: http://www.cofairhope.com/cityhall.html#cityclerk.

After the absentee ballot is received, then it must be mailed back according to the instructions on it, she said.

Hanks said the absentee ballot must be postmarked by Aug. 25, but it also must be received by her office by Aug. 26.

“Once the ballots are made, I will send them out,” she said. “(A person) never needs to come down physically (to our office).”

Hanks said all the instructions are on the absentee ballot application, a copy of which can be obtained from her office at City Hall as well as found on the city Web site.

“When they fill out (the application), they have to send it in separate envelopes,” Hanks said, noting that some people have sent more than one application in the same envelope. She also said the same person requesting the application must be the one who sends in the ballot.

For questions, call City Hall at 928-2136.