Election day 2024 is less than a month away which means that in the next few weeks each and every voter would be well advised to educate themselves on the range of candidates who will be appearing on their ballot. For voters in Russell County, there is a spirited race for Probate Court Judge this election year in which it would behoove them to become fully informed about. Kristi Mott is the Republican candidate for the office who participated in an exclusive interview with the Examiner as follows.
Providing details on her background, Mott remarked "I was born in Washington DC, and I grew up in Northeast Atlanta, but I have lived in Alabama since 1992 and in Russell County since 1998. I obtained an advanced degree in Communication, focusing on organizational communication from Auburn University. In 1999 I married John Mott, a lifelong resident of Russell County and we moved to Pittsview, to take over daily operations of his family’s 4th generation cattle farm. We are raising 2 sons. Our oldest son is about to turn 21 and attends Southern Union, and our youngest son is 16 and attends The Lakeside School." She went on to continue "For the last 10 years I have been a part of a 7-man team in the Barbour/Bullock County DA office. We process approximately 700 criminal cases and 3,000 traffic cases a year. In that time, I have handled everything from the fraudulent check unit to District Court case management, to serving as the interim Victim Services advocate, to currently managing the Diversion Program for criminal and traffic offenses. A first-time offender program designed to give all individuals that perpetrate offenses the opportunity to rehabilitate their actions and to keep their record clean. It is in this job that I have found a passion for public service and I believe that we need honest, trustworthy people in the public sector to ensure continued growth and security in our communities."
Explaining the role that Russell County has played in the course of her life, Mott commented "Honestly Russell County has been such an integral part of my adult life, that you could say that it made me the woman that I am today. It is the only place that I have lived other than my childhood home. I moved to Russell County as a 'city girl' and learned to appreciate the quiet, small town rural life of southern Russell County! Although Russell County is a large county, it works very hard to keep that small town feel. I like knowing that my kids are being raised in a community that is full of family and faith-based individuals, and I like that we as a community are always there for each other in times of need. This is something that is missing from a lot of our communities these days."
Sharing her understanding of what the responsibilities of a probate court judge entail, Mott reflected "Many people do not realize what the probate office does for the community and its importance. Mainly because they have probably only had very limited interaction with the office, and mainly in an administrative capacity. The Probate Office is the 'everyday' face of the judicial system. The office handles the processes of all licensing from driver’s licenses to business licenses, they are the official county record keeper of all mandatory documentation such as Deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, bills of sale, leases or memoranda of leases, contracts or other documents purporting to convey any right, title, easement, or interest in any real estate or personal property, all assignments or mortgages, deeds of trust or other securities for debt or extension agreements." She went on to continue "But most importantly, the probate court is also the segment of the judicial system that oversees the execution of wills as well as the handling of estates, conservatorships, and guardianships, and adoptions. Probate courts oversee the management of assets and ensure the fair distribution of property. Probate court also handles the commitment of a person with psychiatric disabilities to institutions designed to help them. Finally, the Probate Judge is the chief election official for the county and is responsible for the overseeing of each election and ensuring the integrity of the election process for the county."
In the hopes of addressing voters directly, Mott shared the message which she felt was of prime importance by stating "I believe in family/faith centric leadership in our public offices. I believe that quality leadership begins at the local and state level and a proven track record of hands-on experience is the first step to that type of leadership. In this election, although important, it is more than just voting for the next President. There are important local offices that are being voted on and they hold longer terms than the presidency. Please do your research on your local candidates, not just what political party they are running on, and make the decision based on what your values, beliefs and needs are for you and your family. You can still vote a straight party ticket, AND vote for the right person for your local offices."
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