On Tuesday, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill removed a member of the Russell County Board of Registrars from office for “cause.” That individual was Jimmy Adams.

According to information from the Office of the Secretary of State, the case to remove Adams “went before an objective Administrative Law Judge, who after hearing the case made a formal recommendation to the Secretary of State to remove the registrar.”

Adams was the source of “a formal, written complaint against the registrar” that was filed in February 2019 citing a failure to “competently and conscientiously advise potentially qualified electors that the law required them to register” to vote “where they lived or were domiciled.”

Specifically, Adams is said to have “advised voters to register to vote at places they do not live,” and did so “knowingly and repeatedly,” according to the Office of the Secretary of State.

According to Alabama Law, Secretary Merrill has the “authority to remove county registrars for cause.” He did so on July 16, noting that Adams’ actions constituted “a violation of duty as a registrar,” falling under Code of Ala. section 17-9-10, which “clearly states where a person is allowed to register.”

“We make it easy to vote and hard to cheat in Alabama. A crucial part of maintaining that is by appointing Board of Registrar members that meet the highest standards. By giving due process and by holding voter registrars accountable for their actions, we preserve the public trust and ensure that elections are fair and equitable to everyone,” said Merrill in a press release.

The release further explained the process of removal, “the Office of the Secretary of State strengthens due process by giving the defendant a notice process and hearing. The Secretary of State presents the case to an objective Administrative Law Judge, who then makes a recommendation to the Secretary of State,” said the Secretary’s Office.

Originally, the charges against Adams were filed and sent to the registrar on Feb. 11. The case was heard before the Administrative Law Judge on June 14, and the judge issued his recommendation for removal on July 16.

The removal is effective immediately.