How to vote in Alabama
Alabama voter registration guide
Alabama voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 15 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked 15 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 15 days before Election Day
Check your Alabama voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Alabama registration using the Alabama voter registration lookup site.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
Alabama voter registration rules
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 by Election Day
- 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.
Alabama online voter registration
You can register to vote online if you have an Alabama driver license or nondriver ID card.
- Visit the Alabama online voter registration site.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 15 days before Election Day .
Alabama by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Provide your Alabama driver’s license number or non-driver ID card number. If you do not have either of these numbers, provide the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you don't have any of these numbers, write "NONE" in this space.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You do not need to register with a party to take part in that party’s primary election, caucus, or convention.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: You are required to fill in this box; however, your application will not be rejected if you fail to do so.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be postmarked 15 days before Election Day .
Alabama in-person voter registration
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your Alabama driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring ONE photo ID that shows your name, and ONE document that shows your name and Alabama address. Acceptable documents include a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Alabama same day registration
Registering to vote in Alabama with a felony conviction
If you are convicted of a crime of "moral turpitude”, you are ineligible to vote while in prison, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction: you may apply to have your voting rights restored immediately after completing your full sentence, but if convicted of certain felony offenses–such as murder, rape, incest, sexual crimes against children, or treason, you are not eligible for re-enfranchisement. However, if convicted of a felony that is not on the list of “moral turpitude”, you do not lose your right to vote. Alabama restoration process
Alabama absentee and mail ballot guide
Alabama absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the request deadline
- Receive your ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
Alabama absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 7 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 5 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Received 1 day BEFORE Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received 1 day BEFORE Election Day
Alabama absentee ballot rules
You can 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
- you are an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than your regular polling place
- you work a required shift of 10 hours or more that coincides with polling hours
Alabama online ballot request
Alabama does not allow you to request your ballot online.
Alabama by-mail ballot request
- Download the Alabama absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- Your application must be received 7 days before Election Day .
Alabama in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is 5 days before Election Day .
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be received 1 day BEFORE Election Day .
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received 1 day BEFORE Election Day .
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Alabama absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:
You must include a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID with your absentee ballot application. Acceptable forms of ID include any photo ID issued by the State of Alabama or the Federal Government, a tribal ID, or a student or employee ID from any accredited American college or university. Additionally you must include your driver's license number OR the last four digits of your Social Security Number on the application.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot:
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected. Additionally, your voted ballot must be notarized or signed by two witnesses.
Alabama absentee ballot tracker
Track your ballot here: Alabama absentee ballot tracker
Alabama absentee ballot curing
Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.
- Your ballot will be rejected if it's missing a witness or notary signature.
- You will not be allowed to fix this issue. Your ballot will simply not be counted.
Alabama emergency ballots
Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.
Emergency Ballot RulesMedical Emergency If you have a medical emergency within five days of Election Day, you may apply for an emergency absentee ballot. The ballot must be returned by NOON on Election Day and include a statement from a physician certifying and describing your condition.
Other Emergency You can apply for an emergency absentee ballot with your local election office until the day before Election Day if you:
- are required to work under unforeseen circumstances within 5 days before Election Day and will be unavailable to vote at the polls on Election Day.
- are a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment by a licensed physician within five days before Election Day.
- have a family member to the second degree who dies within 5 days before Election Day.
You must include a form with an affidavit acknowledging that you were not aware of the situation constituting the emergency prior to 5 days before the election. After voting the emergency ballot, you must hand the ballot to the absentee election manager.
- Emergency ballot request starts 5 days before Election Day
- Emergency ballot request ends 1 day before Election Day
- Emergency ballot return deadline is NOON on Election Day
Contact your local election office
Alabama early voting guide
Alabama early voting dates
- Early voting starts: N/A
- Early voting ends: N/A
What to bring
You must show a non-expired photo ID at the polls. You can show any ID issued by the state of Alabama or the Federal Government, a tribal ID, a military ID, or a student ID from an accredited Alabama college or university. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you can still vote if two election officials vouch for you and if you sign an affidavit.
Alabama voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
You must show a non-expired photo ID at the polls. You can show any ID issued by the state of Alabama or the Federal Government, a tribal ID, a military ID, or a student ID from an accredited Alabama college or university. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you can still vote if two election officials vouch for you and if you sign an affidavit.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
You must include a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID with your absentee ballot application. Acceptable forms of ID include any photo ID issued by the State of Alabama or the Federal Government, a tribal ID, or a student or employee ID from any accredited American college or university. Additionally you must include your driver's license number OR the last four digits of your Social Security Number on the application.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected. Additionally, your voted ballot must be notarized or signed by two witnesses.
ID requirements for online voter registration
You can register to vote online if you have an Alabama driver license or nondriver ID card.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Alabama elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
Office of the Secretary of State P.O. Box 5616 Montgomery, AL 36103‐5616
External resources
- Alabama online voter registration
- Alabama voter status lookup
- Alabama absentee ballot tracker
- Alabama polling place locator