Voter Registration
- The last day to register to vote or update your voter registration is the 15th day prior to any election.
- If you have an Alabama driver's license or Alabama non-driver ID, you can register online at alabamavotes.gov.
- If you live in Alabama and do not have an Alabama ID, you can register by mail or in person by contacting your county's Board of Registrars.
- Even if you are already registered, check your voting status online at alabamavotes.gov. If your status is inactive, update your registration information.
LEARN MORE ABOUT VOTING IN 2020.
Absentee Voting
Tips on voting absentee
- Check your voter registration status before the registration deadline. If your status is “inactive”, update your voter registration information.
- Check your sample ballot.
- Note: Alabama’s crossover voting law prohibits you from voting in the Republican primary run-off if you voted in the Democratic primary, and vice versa. If you did not vote in the primary, you may vote in either run-off.
- Apply for your absentee ballot as early as possible to avoid delays with the post office. The last day to apply for an absentee ballot is the 5th day prior to any election unless there is a work or medical emergency.
- Make sure you plan ahead to have stamps and a photocopy of your voter ID on hand for when you apply for your ballot.
- You can also complete your absentee ballot in person if you will be out of the county on election day.
How to apply for an absentee ballot
Find out what circumstances qualify you to vote absentee at alabamavotes.gov. This includes being out of the county, being sick, having a disability that prevents you from travelling to your polling place and/or having a polling place that is not accessible.
To obtain an absentee ballot, contact the local Absentee Election Manager (usually the Circuit Clerk), request an absentee ballot, and provide the following:
- Name and residential address (or other such information in order to verify voter registration)
- Copy of your valid photo identification
- Election for which the ballot is requested
- Reason for absence from polls on election day
- Party choice, if the election is a party primary
- Address to which the ballot should be mailed
- Voter signature (If a mark is made in place of a signature, it must be witnessed.)
Note: No absentee ballot application may be mailed in the same envelope as another voter's absentee ballot application.
How to complete your absentee ballot
The absentee ballot comes with three envelopes -- one plain (the secrecy envelope), one with an affidavit, or oath, printed on the outside, and one plain envelope, preaddressed (the outer envelope).
Absentee ballots must be returned the day before the election unless the person is overseas.
Complete the ballot, and then do as follows:
- Seal the ballot in the plain envelope.
- Place the plain envelope inside the accompanying affidavit envelope.
- Seal the affidavit envelope and complete the affidavit that is on the outside of the envelope.
- Sign the affidavit and have the signature witnessed by either a notary public or two witnesses 18 years of age or older.
Exceptions to deadlines
For emergency absentee voting, applications can be made after the absentee deadline but no later than 5 PM on the day before the election.
- If required by an employer under unforeseen circumstances to be unavailable at the polls on the day of the election;
- If a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment by licensed physician within five days before an election; or
- If has a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity die within five days before an election.
For medical emergencies, voters must do the following:
- During that 5 day period, the medical emergency absentee ballot application and the voted absentee ballot must be returned no later than noon on the day the election is held.
- The medical emergency absentee ballot application requires that the attending physician describe and certify the circumstances as constituting an emergency.
- The voter may designate someone to turn in the medical emergency absentee ballot application, receive the absentee ballot on behalf of the voter, and return the voted absentee ballot to the Absentee Election Manager on behalf of the voter.
Voting in-person after requesting an absentee ballot
If you have requested an absentee ballot but vote in-person instead, you will only be able to complete a provisional ballot at your polling place. This will be counted as a regular vote once they confirm your absentee ballot was not returned.
Be sure to check the status of your provisional ballot online at alabamavotes.gov.
Voter ID Requirements
On Election Day, bring one of the following items with you or include a copy with your absentee ballot when you mail it.
- Driver's license (any state)
- Alabama non-driver ID
- Alabama photo voter ID*
- State issued ID (any state)
- Federal issued ID, such as a US passport
- Employee ID from US government or any entity of Alabama
- Student or employee ID from a post-high school institution in the state of Alabama
- Military ID
- Tribal ID
*Individuals who already have one of the other forms of ID should not apply for the Alabama photo voter ID. Get a free photo voter ID from the Alabama Secretary of State's office, any county registrar, or from the mobile ID unit which travels around the state. For a list of upcoming locations, go to https://sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/photo-voter-id/mobile-id-locations.
If an eligible voter doesn't have a valid ID and is positively identified by 2 election officials, the officials can state this in a sworn affidavit so that the voter can cast a regular ballot.
If an eligible voter doesn't have a valid ID, they may cast a provisional ballot. The voter then has until 5pm on the Friday after the election to submit a valid photo ID. Otherwise, the ballot will not be counted.
Page last revised: June 24, 2020
