BY OBSERVER STAFF
LEE COUNTY —This is the story of a person who decided to make a difference and refused to give up.
What started as a simple experiment quickly sparked statewide conversations about election security and transparency. It all began in 2022, when Angela Sheppard made a photocopy of her absentee ballot and attended a public machine test in Lee County. During the test, she fed eight copied ballots into the machine, and all eight were accepted and counted. She recorded the process on video.
What started as a simple experiment quickly sparked statewide conversations about election security and transparency.
Sheppard shared the video with then-State Rep. Debbie Wood in February 2023, beginning a journey that would ultimately lead to the passage of legislation aimed at preserving election integrity.
Former election official and attorney Robert Garris drafted legislation that would require post-election audits in Alabama. Wood, who once won an election by only seven votes, agreed to carry the bill.
At the time, Sheppard said she had no idea how long the process would take or how much resistance supporters of the bill would face from some involved in overseeing elections in the state. But she, along with others who believed in the importance of election integrity, refused to quit.
Over the last three and a half years, countless people have played a role in the effort, and Sheppard said there are too many to thank individually for their time, encouragement and hard work along the way.
After the 2025 legislative session, Wood resigned, and Rep. Joe Lovvorn stepped in to help carry the bill across the finish line.
Throughout the process, Sheppard said she learned a great deal about perseverance, persistence and the importance of building relationships with elected officials.
“Spending time in Montgomery gave me a new perspective on public service and leadership,” Sheppard said. “What began as advocacy eventually stirred something deeper within me. It pushed me outside my comfort zone and inspired me to run for public office.”
Sheppard said the experience ultimately led her to run for Lee County Commission District 2.
“It has certainly been an incredible journey, and I hope to have the opportunity to take what I’ve learned over the past several years to the commission table, represent my district well, work hard for constituents and serve even those who may not have supported me,” she said.
No matter the outcome, Sheppard said she feels something stirring within her and believes this is only the beginning of what God has in store.
