Alabama

Election Day: Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Counties in the Eastern Time Zone must be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Chambers and Lee Counties may operate in Central or Eastern time, so a voter should check if applicable. A voter waiting in the voting room at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Absentee voters may hand deliver or mail in their ballot to the Absentee Election Manager’s office. Ballots (not applications) must be received by the Absentee Election Manager no later than 5 p.m. on the day before election day if returned by hand, and by noon on election day if returned by mail. Absentee ballots delivered by a voter’s medical emergency designee must be received by noon on election day.

How to Find your Polling Place: Visit the Alabama Vote’s polling place locator to determine where you vote.

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in Alabama if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are a resident of Alabama
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in Alabama if:

• A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.
• You have been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude

Restorative Requirements

• Contact the Board of Pardons and Paroles to begin the Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote application process. Applicants can begin the process by visiting the Pardons and Paroles office in the county where they currently live or by calling (334) 353-7771 or (334) 353-8067. For assistance with the CERV process, applicants can contact Blair Bowie at the Campaign Legal Center by calling 202-736-2201 or emailing BBowie@campaignlegalcenter.org For other questions, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
• If you have been convicted of a felony NOT involving moral turpitude, your voting rights are not affected.

How to register 

Alabama residents may register online or by mail to the voter’s Board of Registrars. Voter registration application forms and accompanying instructions can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.  

Alabama law considers residence based on the voter’s intention to make that place their new home indefinitely.  Applicants are asked to provide their address, some biographical information, sign an oath that they meet the legal qualifications to register and vote, and provide a copy of their Alabama Driver’s License or Non-Driver ID Number, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number if they do not have an Alabama ID card.  If they do not have a Social Security Number they can still register.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Alabama does not have early voting.  Voters who are eligible to cast an absentee ballot can do so by personally handing their absentee ballot to their county’s Absentee Election Manager or by mail. Voters requesting a medical emergency absentee ballot can designate someone to hand deliver their absentee ballot application and ballot envelope. For more information, visit the Secretary of State’s absentee voting information page.

Rules and Deadlines:

• Voters may apply for absentee ballots by mail must be received no later than 7 days prior to the election or hand deliver the request 5 days prior to the election.  When requesting an absentee ballot, the voter must provide the following voter and absentee ballot request information:
  • Full name
  • Address at which the voter is registered to vote
  • The mailing address where the ballot should be mailed
  • The election(s) for which the absentee ballot is requested
  • The reason for the absentee ballot request (why the voter will not be at the polls on election day)
  • a copy of valid photo identification
  • Party choice, if the election is a Primary or Primary Runoff
  • Voter’s signature (if signed with a mark, it must be witnessed)
• All absentee ballots must be received by the Absentee Election Manager no later than 5 p.m. on the day before the election if sent in by hand, or noon on election day if delivered by mail.  A voter must do the following to submit a valid absentee ballot:
  • Seal the completed ballot in the plain envelope provided
  • Place the plain envelope inside the affidavit envelope provided
  • Seal the affidavit envelope and complete the affidavit that is on the outside of the envelope.
  • Sign the affidavit witnessed by two witnesses 18 years of age or older or a notary public.
  • Place the signed and witnessed affidavit envelope in the provided pre-addressed outer envelope and deliver the ballot by mail or hand deliver to the Absentee Election Manager.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Alabama you should provide one of the following:

• Your Alabama Driver’s License Number
• Your Alabama ID Number

If you do not have these IDs, you may provide:

• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number

If you do not have an Alabama Driver’s License, Alabama ID or Social Security number and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org

A voter must present one of the following forms of identification before they will be permitted to vote.

• 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 or other photo ID issued by a branch, department, agency, or entity of Alabama, any other state, or the United States (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days)
• Valid State Issued ID (Alabama or any other state)
  • Valid AL Department of Corrections Release- Temporary ID (Photo Required)
  • Valid AL Movement/Booking Sheet from Prison/Jail System (Photo Required)
  • 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

If you do not have one of the documents in the list above, you may obtain a free Alabama photo voter ID card online and submit it to the local Board of Registrars, the Secretary of State’s Office, or mobile locations to be provided.

Voters may cast a provisional ballot if they do not have their ID at the polls, but must prove identification by 5 p.m. on the Friday following the election.
Absentee ballots do not require an ID; however, absentee applications do require an ID.

If the voter has moved to a new address, Alabama requires them to update their registration.  Whether the voter must re-register depends on where they moved:

• Move within a voting precinct: no re-registration required.
• Move between precincts but within the same county: may cast provisional ballot at new address’s precinct.  The voter may be required to provide updated information to vote.
• Move between counties or from a different state: the voter must register at least 15 days before the election.

The voter can visit the Alabama Votes polling place search to determine their proper polling place. 

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Alabama citizens who are military or overseas voters may register to vote and obtain an absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FCPA) or by contacting the Secretary of State’s office at 1-800-274-VOTE (8683). Voters can receive and cast their absentee ballot electronically by requesting electronic ballot transmission on their absentee ballot application and providing an email address. Voters can also return their absentee ballot by mail or by commercial carrier (i.e. UPS, FedEx, DHL).

The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is a back-up ballot that can be used by military or overseas voters. Voters must apply for a regular absentee ballot by the deadline. If the voter does not receive their regular ballot in time, they may use the FWAB. The FWAB must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by the voter’s county Absentee Election Manager no later than noon on the seventh day after Election Day.

A person who is convicted of certain felonies involving “moral turpitude” may register to vote and vote only if they obtain a pardon that specifically restores the right to vote, or if they are granted a Certificate of Eligibility to Vote by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.  Ala. Code §17-3-30.1(c) sets forth a list of felonies involving “moral turpitude.”

A person may apply to the Board of Pardons and Paroles for a Certificate of Eligibility to Vote if: (i) their conviction was for a felony involving moral turpitude other than treason, impeachment, murder, rape, or various sexual offenses; (ii) they have no criminal felony charges pending against them; (iii) they have paid all fines, court costs, fees, and victim restitution associated with the conviction; and (iv) either they have completed their sentence, including any period of probation and parole, or they have been pardoned.  A person obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility to Vote must still register to vote.

A person loses their right to vote from a felony conviction only if it involves a felony involving “moral turpitude.”  Otherwise, they may vote even if currently in jail.