This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — There are two runoff elections set for the City of Huntsville on Tuesday, September 20.

The Huntsville City School Board District 3 runoff features Andrea Alvarez vs. Angela McClure. Incumbent Elisa Ferrell finished third in the runoff.

The District 2 Huntsville City Council race has David Little facing Bill Yell.

The school board District 3 primarily covers south Huntsville. The Huntsville City Council District 2 covers a large area from Chapman Mountain to Hampton Cove and includes 43,197 residents.

Turnout for the Aug. 23 municipal elections was just 11.5 percent. There are 97,600 registered voters in Huntsville, but just 11,263 people cast a vote that day.

News 19 asked the candidates for the District 2 City Council seat why it’s important to vote in a municipal election.

“That’s the closest you’re going to get, candidate Bill Yell said. “When you drive out on that street in the morning you’re touching something that elected official had something to do with. So it’s very important for the essential services that are provided by the city.

“You need to make sure that your elected official is taking care of those things. That you can reach out and contact them and talk to them if you have an issue. So it’s very important for people to vote in an municipal election so that they can have a contact with somebody who will do something for them when they need it.”

Council candidate David Little said establishing a representative government goes back to the founding of the U.S.

“I think the great things that happen throughout our country happen at the local level,” Little said. “I mean where else can you see your mayor or your council representatives at breakfast, out at the park, or walking down the street? You can actually have conversations with them and have access to them. They’re readily accessible.

“That’s one of my attractions to local office, is we can get things done. But unfortunately, the turnout is just paltry. And, I think one of the main reasons our country was founded was to give the people a voice, to vote.”

There is also still a little time to pick up and turn in an absentee ballot. The deadline to pick up an absentee ballot by the end of the day Sept. 15. It has to be hand-turned in by Sept. 19 and mail-in ballots have to arrive by noon on Election Day, Sept. 20.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.