As always, it's best to double check with your state for any recent changes to election rules: Alabama Election Website
COVID-19 info for Alabama
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Alabama, Alabama COVID-19 Information Hub
Alabama voter registration
- In Person: 15 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day.
- Online: 15 days before Election Day.
N/A
To register to vote in Alabama you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States;
- Be a resident of Alabama and your county at the time of registration;
- Be 18 years old on or before the date of the election;
- Not have been barred from voting because of a disqualifying felony conviction;
- Not currently be declared mentally incompetent through a competency hearing;
- Swear or affirm to "support and defend the Constitution of the US and the State of Alabama and further disavow any belief or affiliation with any group which advocates the overthrow of the governments of the US or the State of Alabama by unlawful means and that the information contained herein is true, so help me God."
- Use our Register to Vote Tool to fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Sign and date your form. This is very important!
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed form to the address we provide.
- Make sure you register before the voter registration deadline.
- If you have been convicted of a felony and have questions about whether you can register to vote, visit Restore Your Vote to determine your eligibility.
Alabama absentee ballots
- In Person: Received 5 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 7 days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
- Received by noon on Election Day if delivered by mail or if delivered by medical emergency designee. Received by close of business on the day before the election if hand delivered.
You may vote by absentee ballot in Alabama if:
- You will be absent from the county on Election Day.
- You are ill or have a physical disability that prevents a trip to the polling place.
- You are a registered Alabama voter who is temporarily living outside the county (such as a member of the armed forces, a voter employed outside of the United States, a college student, or a spouse or child of such a person).
- You are an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than your regular polling place.
- You work a required shift - 10 hours or more - that coincides with polling hours.
- You are a caregiver for a family member who is confined to the home.
- You are incarcerated but otherwise eligible to vote.
- Use our Absentee Ballot Tool to prepare your application.
- Sign and date the form. This is very important!
- Return your completed application to your Local Election Office as soon as possible. We'll provide the mailing address for you.
- All Local Election Offices will accept mailed or hand-delivered forms.
- Double-check the deadlines and be sure to cast your voted ballot on time to be sure it is counted.
- Please contact your Local Election Office if you have any further questions about the exact process.
Once you receive the ballot, carefully read and follow the instructions.
Sign and date the affidavit where indicated.
A notary public or two witnesses must sign your absentee ballot envelope to verify your signature of the affidavit.
Either (A) mail your voted ballot back to the address indicated on the return envelope; (B) send your ballot by commercial carrier; (C) personally deliver your ballot to the absentee election manager; or (d) have your emergency designee deliver your ballot to the absentee election manager.
Double-check the deadlines and be sure to cast your voted ballot on time to be sure it is counted.
Alabama Early Voting
Alabama does not have early voting.
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Alabama voter ID
If you are voting in person, you must show photo identification at the polls to vote. A voter can use any of the following forms of photo ID:
- Valid Driver's License (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Digital Driver's License
- Valid Non-driver ID (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Digital Non-driver ID
- Valid Alabama Photo Voter ID
- Valid State Issued ID (Alabama or any other state), such as: a Valid AL Department of Corrections Release- Temporary ID (Photo Required), a Valid AL Movement/Booking Sheet from Prison/Jail System (Photo Required), or a Valid Pistol Permit (Photo Required)
- Valid Federal Issued ID
- Valid US Passport
- Valid Employee ID from Federal Government, State of Alabama, County Government, Municipality, Board, Authority, or other entity of Alabama
- Valid student or employee ID from a college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools)
- Valid Military ID
- Valid Tribal ID
Voters are required to include a copy of valid photo ID with their application for an absentee ballot. A voter can use any of the following forms of voter ID:
- Valid Driver's License (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days)
- Valid Non-driver ID (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days)
- Valid Alabama Photo Voter ID
- Valid State Issued ID (Alabama or any other state), such as: a Valid AL Department of Corrections Release- Temporary ID (Photo Required), a Valid AL Movement/Booking Sheet from Prison/Jail System (Photo Required), or a Valid Pistol Permit (Photo Required)
- Valid Federal Issued ID
- Valid US Passport
- Valid Employee ID from Federal Government, State of Alabama, County Government, Municipality, Board, Authority, or other entity of this state
- Valid student or employee ID from a college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools)
- Valid Military ID
- Valid Tribal ID
Offsite links
- State Election Website
- Local Election Office: This is the government office responsible for running elections in your region. These are the best people to contact if you have any questions at all about voting in your state.
- Find your polling place
- Absentee ballot tracker tool
- Learn more about absentee voting
- Learn more about voter ID
- State Election Code