(334) 242-7200
Fax (334) 242-4993

Alabama State Capitol
600 Dexter Avenue
Suite S-105
Montgomery, AL 36130

WWW. SOS.ALABAMA.GOV
JOHN.MERRILL@SOS.ALABAMA.GOVJohn H. Merrill
Secretary of State

Dear Citizens of Alabama:
Voting is a wonderful privilege, and by exercising your right to vote, you have theamazing opportunity to voice your personal opinion and participate in the selectionof our newest elected officials. If you’re at least 18 years of age and meet the othereligibility requirements for the State of Alabama, please take some time to review
our 2020 Alabama Voter Guide. Remember that every vote matters and shares anequal degree of importance. If you have any questions regarding elections or voting
rights, please call our Elections Division at 334-242-7210.
May God bless you and our wonderful state.
Sincerely,

John H. Merrill
Secretary of Statei

d Elections Division—Office of the Secretary of StateElections & Voter Fraud Hotline
Statewide:
In the Montgomery area:
Fax:

1-800-274-VOTE (8683)
334-242-7210
334-242-2444

On the Internet
alavoter@vote.alabama.gov
alabamavotes.gov
stopvoterfraudnow.com
alabamavoterid.com

Elections Division:
World Wide Web:

Visit Us in the State Capitol
600 Dexter Avenue, Rooms E-204 through E-210
Montgomery, Alabama 36130

Mailing Address
Elections Division
Office of the Secretary of State
P.O. Box 5616
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5616

d Publication Notes
VOTER GUIDE 2020

Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of StateEDITORSJohn H. Merrill, Secretary of State
Clay Helms, Director of Elections
Ed Packard, Administrator of Elections
Eugenia Stone, Elections Analyst
Rachel Jarrett, Asst. to the Director of Elections & Asst. to Supervisor of Voter Registration
Hugh Evans, Attorney
Janice McDonald, Special AssistantTempest Cantrell, State Professional Trainee
Candace Payne, State Professional Trainee
Jeff Elrod, Elections Analyst

LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This document is not a substitute for the Code of Alabama. It is provided as a guide andis not intended to be an authoritative statement of law. For further legal
information, please consult the Code of Alabama or other appropriate legal resources.

ii

d Offices on the Ballot
FEDERAL• President/Vice-President• U.S. Senate (1 seat)• U.S. House of Representatives(7 seats)

STATE• Public Service Commission —President• State Board of Education(4 seats; Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7)• Circuit Court Judges (various
seats)• District Court Judges (various
seats)STATE• Supreme Court — 		
Associate Justice (2 seats)• Court of Criminal Appeals (2seats)• Court of Civil Appeals (2 seats)

COUNTY• Various County Offices

d Important Dates for Election 2020
PRIMARY ELECTION — MARCH 3, 2020
February 14
February 15
February 17
February 27
March 2

Last day to hand deliver voter registration forms.
Last day to postmark voter registration forms.
Voter Registration Deadline. Last day for online voter registration.
Last day for voter to make application for an absentee ballot.
Last day for voter to hand-deliver or postmark an absentee ballot.*

PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION (IF NECESSARY) — MARCH 31, 2020
March 16
March 26
March 30

Voter registration deadline.
Last day for voter to make application for an absentee ballot.
Last day for voter to hand-deliver or postmark an absentee ballot.*

GENERAL ELECTION — NOVEMBER 3, 2020
October 19
October 29
November 2

Voter registration deadline.
Last day for voter to make application for an absentee ballot.
Last day for voter to hand-deliver or postmark an absentee ballot.**Except for persons casting absentee ballots pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee
Voting Act (UOCAVA voters). See page 11.

1

CROSS OVER VOTING RULES
Cross Over Voting Rules
Effective August 1, 2017
According to Act #2017-340, Section 2 (a), if an elector votes in a Primary Election, he or she
may vote in a subsequent Primary Runoff Election only if he or she voted in the PrimaryElection of the same political party for which the Runoff Election is being held. For those
persons who did not vote in a Primary Election, they may choose either party’s ballot in a
Primary Runoff Election.
Explanation: If you vote in the Democratic Primary Election, you may only vote in the
Democratic Runoff Election. You may not cross over and vote in the Republican Runoff
Election.
CAN ONLY Vote in
Democratic Primary
Runoff Election

Voted Democratic Ballot
In Primary Election

CANNOT Vote in Republican
Primary Runoff Election

Explanation: If you vote in the Republican Primary Election, you may only vote in theRun
Republican Runoff Election. You may not cross over and vote in the Democratic Runoff
Election.
CAN ONLY Vote in
Republican Primary Runoff
Election

Voted Republican Ballot
In Primary Election

CANNOT Vote in Democratic
Primary Run-Off Election

Explanation: If you did not vote in a Primary Election, you may choose either a Democratic or
Republican ballot in a Runoff Election.
Run
CAN Vote in Republican
Primary Runoff Election

Did Not Vote in a PrimaryElection or Voted a NonPartisan BallotOR
CAN Vote in Democratic
Primary Runoff Election

Run

The Cross-Over Rule starts over with each election cycle and only applies to Primaryand Primary Runoff Elections. It does not apply to a General Election.

2d

VOTER REGISTRATION
Registration Requirements

Any person may register to vote, provided that he or she:






is a citizen of the United States;
resides in Alabama;is at least 18 years old on or before election day;has not been barred from voting due to a disqualifying felony conviction;and has not been declared mentally incompetent by a court.

Applicants may register the same day that they move into the state.
Victims of domestic violence and guardians of victims of domestic violence
may obtain information regarding special legal protections related topersonal identifying information.
For further information, contact the
Secretary of State at 334-242-7210 or your local Board of Registrars.

d When to Register
Citizens may register to vote all year, except during the 14 days prior to anelection and on Election Day. Voter registration is closed during the 14 days prior
to any election and on Election Day so that the voter list can be compiled for theelection. Voter registration applications may be submitted online at alabamavotes.
gov. Paper registration forms must be postmarked, hand-delivered to the Boardof Registrars, or submitted at a participating agency-based voter registration
location no later than the registration deadline for an election. See page 4 fordeadlines.

d Keeping Your Registration Up-to-Date

A voter should immediately notify voter registration officials (your local Boardof Registrars) of any changes, such as a change in name and address. The law
requires that any voter whose name or address is not correct on the voter list
must provide current information before being allowed to vote. The form to
update registration information will be available at all polling places on ElectionDay. If a voter moves to another county within the state, he or she must reregister in the new county of residence.

d Restoration of Voting Rights
An individual who is barred from registering and voting by reason of a disqualifying
felony conviction may request to have his or her voting rights restored by applying
for a “Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote.” An individual may qualify for3

a “Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote” if he or she has fulfilled all termsof the sentence for the disqualifying felony conviction. For further information,
contact the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles at 334-353-7771 or pardons.
state.al.us.

d Where and How to Register

A citizen may register to vote: online at alabamavotes.gov if you have an Alabama driver’s license or
nondriver identification card; by using the Vote for Alabama app, if you have an Alabama driver’s license or
nondriver identification card; when applying for or renewing a State of Alabama driver’s license or nondriver
identification card;
 at state and local government offices when applying or recertifying for
Aid to Dependent Children, SNAP, TANF, Food Stamps, WIC, Medicaid, orRehabilitation Services; at public libraries;
 at armed forces recruiting stations; at the Board of Registrars located at the county seat in the voter’s county ofresidence; or by mail-in form available at Probate Judge and License Commissioner offices,colleges, universities, public schools, or libraries. A mail-in registration
form may also be obtained by calling the county Board of Registrars or theElections Division in the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS) at 1-800-274VOTE (8683)
 by mail-in form downloaded from the Secretary of State’s website atalabamavotes.gov.

d Political Party Registration
Alabama does not have a party registration law. Therefore, a citizen does notdeclare a political party preference when registering to vote.

d 2020 Voter Registration Deadlines
Feb
17

March
16

Oct
19

*PRIMARYRUNOFF

GENERAL4*Note — Voter registration is closed during the 14 days prior to Election Day.
Deadline to hand deliver Voter Registration forms is February 14.
Deadline to postmark Voter Registration forms is February 15.
Deadline to register Online is February 17.

THE POLLING PLACE

d My Polling Place

The county Board of Registrars sends a voter information card to each voter that
includes the address of that voter’s polling place. A voter who has not received
this card should contact the local Board of Registrars for information on his or
her polling place. A voter can also verify where he or she votes on the Secretaryof State’s website at alabamavotes.gov. For municipal elections, check with theCity Clerk.

d Polling Place Hours

Alabama polling places are open from 7 AM to 7 PM. Please note that pollingplaces located in the Eastern Time Zone may be open from 7 AM to 7 PM EasternTime.

d Voting Procedure
1. The voter appears at the polling place and provides his or her name toa poll worker. The voter must also present an acceptable form of photo
identification. Acceptable forms of photo identification are listed on page 6.
2. A poll worker checks the individual’s name against the list of registered votersfor that precinct. If the voter has an “I” by his/her name, the voter needs to
update their voter registration information. Before being allowed to vote,the voter must complete a Voter Update Form that is available at the pollingplace.
3. The voter signs a poll list. If the election is a party primary, the voter muststate in which party primary he or she wishes to vote and then must sign thatparty’s poll list. If the election is a Primary Run-Off, the voter must vote in the
Run-Off of the same political party the voter chose for the Primary Election.
If the voter did not participate in the Primary Election, the voter must choose
in which political party’s Run-Off Election he or she wishes to vote, see page
2 for cross over voting rules.
4. The voter casts his or her vote.
VOTING PROCEDURES VARY according to the type of equipment used. For
more specific information, look for instructions printed in large type that should
be visible at each polling place. Also, poll workers will provide information on
voting procedures at the voter’s request. Poll workers are not allowed to tell acitizen for whom to vote or to attempt to influence a voter’s choices in any way.
5

REPLACEMENT BALLOTS are available if the voter makes a mistake in marking
his or her ballot or if the ballot gets torn or otherwise damaged. The voter
should take the original ballot to a poll worker and request a replacement ballot.
The poll worker will issue a new ballot and place the original ballot in an envelope
marked “spoiled ballots” for security purposes.

d If a Voter’s Name is not on the List of Voters
If a person’s name does not appear on the list of registered voters for the pollingplace, the poll worker should contact the local Board of Registrars to determine
if the person is eligible to vote at that polling place. If the Board of Registrars is
unable to verify the person’s voter registration, he or she may vote a provisional
ballot.

d Photo Voter Identification
A voter must present one of the following forms of identification before he or
she will be permitted to vote. A voter who does not have one of these formsof photo identification is eligible for a free Alabama Photo Voter ID card. For
more information, contact the Secretary of State’s Office, your local Board ofRegistrars, or visit www.AlabamaVoterID.com.
ID (Photo Required)yy Valid Alabama Driver’s License including Alabama Law Enforcement
Agency Digital Driver’s License(not expired or expired less than
60 days)yy Valid Federal-issued ID
yy Valid U.S. passport
yy Valid Employee ID from Federal
Government, State of Alabama,County, Municipality, Board, orother entity of this state, Valid
student or employee ID froma public or private college oruniversity in the State of Alabama(including postgraduate technicalor professional schools)

yy Valid Alabama Nondriver ID including Alabama Law Enforcement
Agency Digital Nondriver ID (notexpired or expired less than 60
days
yy Valid free Alabama Photo Voter ID
card
yy Valid State-issued ID (Alabama or
any other state)
xx Examples
xx Valid Pistol Permit (Photo
Required)xx Valid AL Movement/Booking Sheetfrom Prison/Jail System (Photo
Required)xx Valid
AL
DepartmentofCorrections Release - Temporary

yy Valid student or employee ID
issued by a state institution ofhigher learning in any other stateyy Valid Military ID
yy Valid Tribal ID

For Additional information on photo
voter identification, visit
www.AlabamaVoterID.com
6

d If a Voter does not have a Valid Photo ID
A voter must present a valid form of photo identification to be eligible to vote. A
list of valid photo IDs is provided on page 6. A voter who does not have a valid
form of photo ID can vote a regular ballot if their name appears on the official
voters list, and he or she is positively identified by two election officials. If thevoter does not have a valid form of photo ID and cannot be positively identified
by two election officials, he or she may vote a provisional ballot (See Page 8).

d Exemptions from Photo Voter Identification
A VOTER WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE MILITARY OR WHO RESIDESOVERSEAS and is eligible to vote by absentee ballot pursuant to the Uniformed
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) is not required to provide
ID when voting an absentee ballot. The term “UOCAVA voter” includes anyone
who is a member of the Uniformed Services (including his or her spouse anddependents), Merchant Marines, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service,and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It also includes
anyone who is a U.S. citizen residing overseas whose last place of residency prior
to moving overseas was in Alabama.
ELDERLY VOTERS AND VOTERS WITH A DISABILITY WHOSE POLLINGPLACE IS INACCESSIBLE — A voter who is entitled to vote by absentee
ballot pursuant to the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act
or any other federal law shall not be required to produce identification whenvoting by absentee ballot. Voters who fall under this category can check a box
on their absentee ballot application, which will indicate that their polling placeis 1) inaccessible and 2) they are elderly (age 65 or older) or are disabled. The
Absentee Election Manager will not require an ID in order for these absentee
ballots to be counted. A polling place is considered inaccessible if a disabled
or elderly voter is unable to access his or her assigned polling place due to aneurological, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, or other life-altering
disorder that affects the ability to perform manual tasks, stand for any length oftime, walk unassisted, see, hear, or speak.

d Voting a Provisional Ballot

A provisional ballot is voted the same as any other ballot except the voter must 1)
sign an affidavit attesting to his or her eligibility to vote and 2) complete a voter
update form.
NAME NOT ON THE POLL LIST — The provisional ballot will be counted only
if the county Board of Registrars is able to confirm that the person casting theballot is a duly qualified elector of the polling place where the ballot was cast.
7

NO PHOTO IDENTIFICATION AT THE POLLING PLACE AND CANNOT
BE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED BY TWO ELECTION OFFICIALS — The voter
has until 5:00 PM on the first Friday following the election to submit a valid formof photo ID (see page 6) to the Board of Registrars. If proper ID is submitted
by this deadline, the ballot will be counted as long as the other requirements are
met. A voter who does not possess a valid photo ID on Election Day has untilthat Friday to obtain a valid photo ID and submit it to the Board of Registrars.
NO PHOTO IDENTIFICATION INCLUDED WITH ABSENTEE BALLOTAPPLICATION — A voter may cast a provisional ballot if he or she did notinclude a valid photo ID with their application for an absentee ballot on or after
the eighth day prior to an election.
ABSENTEE BALLOT NEVER RECEIVED OR CAST — A voter may cast aprovisional ballot if he or she did not receive a requested absentee ballot or thevoter did not vote the absentee ballot.
VOTER OBJECTS TO THE POLITICAL PARTY INDICATED ON THE LIST
OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE PRIMARY-RUNOFF ELECTION — The
provisional ballot will be counted only if the Board of Registrars can confirm thatthe provisional ballot from the Primary Runoff election is of the same politicalparty as the voter’s Primary Election ballot.

d Marked Sample Ballots

Voters may take items such as marked sample ballots into the polling placeprovided these items are used personally and are not distributed to others in thepolling place. The voter should not leave these items in the polling place.

d Campaigning on Election Day

Campaigning is allowed on Election Day as long as it is done at least 30 feet fromthe door of the building where the polling place is located. If the polling place islocated in a room within a building, campaigning must not be closer than 30 feetto the entrance of the building.

VOTER ASSISTANCE

Any voter who wishes to have assistance is entitled to receive help. The voter may
ask anyone (except his or her employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or
agent of the voter’s union) to give that assistance. If the voter does not request a
specific individual, a poll worker may assist the voter at the request of the voter.

d Polling Place Provision for Elderly/Disabled
A polling official may allow a voter who is physically disabled or over the age of
70 to move to the front of the line at a polling place upon request of the voter.
8

d Time in the Voting Booth
A voter remaining in a voting machine booth (or in the polling place where paper
ballots are used) for four minutes or longer may be asked by a poll worker if
assistance is needed.
IF THE VOTER DOES NOT WANT ASSISTANCE, he or she is permitted toremain for one additional minute. At the end of that minute, if individuals are
waiting to vote, the voter may be informed that time is up and may be asked toleave. If there is no line, the voter may have as much time as necessary to finish
voting.
IF THE VOTER WANTS ASSISTANCE, he or she may have at least five additional
minutes to vote. At the end of the time, if others are waiting to vote, the assisted
voter may be told that time is up and may be asked to leave the polling place.
However, if there are no voters waiting, the assisted voter shall have as much time
as necessary to finish voting.

ACCESSIBILITY
Polling places should be accessible to people with disabilities. At every polling place,there will be voting equipment to accommodate voters with disabilities so thatthey can vote without assistance. If your specific disability is not accommodated,
please contact your county’s Probate Judge.

ELECTION PROCESS
Some laws governing each type of election vary. For example, Primary Elections
are different from General Elections.

d Types of Elections
PRIMARY ELECTION — Held by the political parties to select each party’s
nominee for the General Election. In the Primary, separate party ballots are
printed, and the voter must choose between the ballot with Democrats runningagainst other Democrats or the one on which Republicans run against other
Republicans.
If there are three or more candidates in a race, and if no one receives a majority ofthe votes cast, then a second Primary Election or Runoff Election is held between
the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes in the first Primary.
The winner of this Runoff Election will be the party nominee.
9GENERAL ELECTION — Held to determine which candidate, regardless ofpolitical party, independent, or write-in status, will occupy each office that is up forelection. In the General Election, a voter may split the ticket to select candidates
from all parties on the ballot or to select independent or write-in candidates.
However, a voter may choose only one candidate per office.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION — Held when constitutional
amendments appear on the ballot. In a Primary Election, if a voter does notwant to participate in one of the party primaries, he or she may vote on theamendments only.
SPECIAL ELECTION — Like a constitutional amendment election, a Special
Election may be held to place specific issues before the voters, such as whether
or not a county or city will permit alcohol sales within its jurisdiction or will raisecertain taxes. A Special Election may also be held to fill a vacancy in certain typesof offices, such as U.S. Representative, State Senator, or State Representative.

dABSENTEE VOTING
Eligibility

In the 2020 elections, a voter may cast an absentee ballot if he or she: EXPECTS TO BE ABSENT FROM THE COUNTY on Election Day; IS ILL OR HAS A PHYSICAL INFIRMITY that prevents a trip to the pollingplace (see page 7 regarding an exemption to the photo voter identification
requirement);
 IS A REGISTERED ALABAMA VOTER LIVING OUTSIDE THE COUNTY
including but not limited to, members of the armed forces or a spouse ordependent of such a person, or a U.S. citizen residing overseas or students at
an educational institution located outside their county of residence; IS AN APPOINTED ELECTION OFFICER OR POLL WATCHER at a pollingplace other than his or her regular polling place; or EXPECTS TO WORK A REQUIRED SHIFT WHICH HAS AT LEAST 10
HOURS that coincide with polling hours.
 IS A CAREGIVER for a family member to the second degree of kinship byaffinity or consanguinity and the family member is confined to his or her own
home.
 IS INCARCERATED IN PRISON/JAIL and has not been convicted of a felony
involving moral turpitude. (For a list of felonies involving moral turpitude,please visit the Secretary of State’s website.)10

d Business/Medical Emergency Voting
Applications for business and medical emergency voting can be made after theabsentee deadline but no later than 5 PM on the day before the election, if thevoter:
 has a medical emergency requiring treatment from a licensed physician within
5 days of an election.
 is required by an employer due to unforeseen circumstances within five (5)days before an election to be unavailable at the polls on Election Day; or is a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment by a licensed
physician within five (5) days before an election; or has a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or
consanguinity (voter or voter’s spouse’s parents, grandparents, siblings,
children or grandchildren) to pass away within five (5) days before an election.
In addition to application information outlined on pages 12, the businessemergency application contains an affidavit acknowledging that the voter was notaware of the circumstances prior to the normal absentee ballot deadline. The
medical emergency application requires that the attending physician describe andcertify the circumstances as constituting an emergency.

d Military and Citizens Residing Overseas

Alabama citizens who are members of the Uniformed Services and their spouseand dependents, Merchant Marines, commissioned corps of the Public HealthService, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Alabama
overseas citizens (also known as UOCAVA voters) have two options as to how
they can receive their blank absentee ballots: (1) by electronic transmission or(2) by U.S. Mail.
To request electronic transmission of the blank ballot, UOCAVA voters must
mark the appropriate box and provide an email address on the State of Alabama“UOCAVA Application for Absentee Ballot” available from the Secretary of State’s
website (alabamavotes.gov). They may also mark “email/online” and provide anemail address on the Federal Post Card Application available from their Voting
Assistance Officer or from the website of the Federal Voting Assistance Program(fvap.gov).
UOCAVA voters may return their ballot by U.S. Mail or by a commercial carrier.
Please note that if returning the ballot by commercial air or ground carrier,the date the ballot is tendered to the carrier is considered the postmark date.
UOCAVA voters should ensure that their ballot is postmarked or tendered to thecommercial carrier no later than the day of the election in which they are castinga ballot.
11

UOCAVA voters are no longer required to have their ballot’s affidavit
envelope notarized. However, the affidavit on the envelope must be witnessed by
two persons 18 years of age or older.
UOCAVA voters may find additional information on absentee voting on theInternet from the Office of the Secretary of State at alabamavotes.gov or fromUOCAVA voters may find additional information on absentee voting on theInternet from the Office of the Secretary of State at alabamavotes.gov or fromthe Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) at fvap.gov. Please note that the
FVAP website provides information for UOCAVA voters only.

d Citizens with Permanent Disabilities
Citizens who have a permanent disability which prevents them from attending thepolls may apply for an absentee ballot on an annual basis.The application is valid for
all federal, state, county, and municipal elections in the calendar year and must be
renewed annually. A voter who is permanently disabled must provide verificationfrom their primary physician (the application must be signed and notarized by thevoter’s primary physician).
Voters submitting an absentee application on the basis of being permanently
disabled must submit their application to the Absentee Election Manager by thefifth day prior to the election. The application may be hand-delivered by the voter
or mailed to the Absentee Election Manager by U.S. Mail or by commercial carrier.

d Absentee Ballot Application
To obtain an absentee ballot, write or visit the local Absentee Election Manager(usually the Circuit Clerk), request an absentee ballot, and provide the following:yy name and residential address;
yy a copy (not the orginal) of the voter’s photo identification
yy election for which the ballot is requested;
yy reason for absence from polls on Election Day;yy party choice, if the election is a party primary; *yy address to which the ballot should be mailed; andyy voter signature (if a mark is made in place of a signature, it must be witnessed)
Absentee ballot applications may also be downloaded from the Secretary of State’s
website (sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes)* It is not necessary to give a party choice for a General Election. However, in a party

primary, a voter may participate in only one political party’s primary, thus a choicemust be designated so that the appropriate ballot can be provided. If the voter
declines or fails to designate a choice for a Primary or Primary Runoff ballot, theAbsentee Election Manager may send only the ballot for constitutional amendments.
12

The absentee ballot application must be returned to the Absentee Election
Manager by the voter in person (or by the voter’s designee in the case of medical
emergency voting) or by U.S. Mail or by commercial carrier no later than the fifth
day prior to the election.
Upon receiving the absentee ballot application, the Absentee Election Manager
may request additional evidence on the reason for voting absentee if the voter has
a history of continuous absentee voting.
APPLICATIONS FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS —Applications submitted by military personnel, their spouses or dependents, andU.S. citizens residing overseas are valid for all federal, state, and county electionsin the current calendar year. However, these voters should ensure that they keep
their mailing addresses updated with their County Board of Registrars and with
their Absentee Election Manager.
APPLICATIONS FOR CITIZENS WITH PERMANENT DISABILITIES —Applications submitted by citizens who are permanently disabled and cannot
attend the polls are valid for all federal, state, county, and municipal elections in
the current calendar year. However, these voters should ensure that they keep
their mailing addresses updated with their County Board of Registrars and with
their Absentee Election Manager.

d 2020 Absentee Voting Deadlines
PRIMARYRUNOFF

GENERAL

Absentee Voting Begins
No Later Than

JAN
8

MAR
17

SEP
9

Absentee Application
Deadline

FEB
27

MAR
26

OCT
29

Absentee Ballot HandDelivery/Postmark
Deadline
Absentee UOCAVA
Ballot Receipt Deadline

MAR
2

MAR
30

NOV
2

MAR
10

APR
7

NOV
10

must be postmarked no later
than Election Day

13d Absentee Ballot Process
Absentee Voting Process
Application
Process Process
Application
1.

Print application from Secretary of State’s website or request application from Absentee Election Manager
outoutapplication.
The votermust handdeliver ormail inapplication
by US
to the office of
2.2. FillFill
application.
Rememberto include
a copyofthe
yourvalid photo
IDMAILwithONLY
the application.
the Absentee Election Manager in their county.
3.
Return the application to the Absentee Election Manager either by hand (by the voter or by thevoter’s designee in case of medical emergency), US Mail, or commercial carrier.
1. Print application from Secretary of State website or Request Application from Absentee Election Manager

Absentee Ballot Materials

Absentee Ballot Process

Fill out ballot

Fill out Affidavit - including two witness
signatures or have it notarized

Place Ballot Inside of Secrecy Envelope andseal the Secrecy Envelope

PlaceAffidavit
AffidavitEnvelope
Envelopeinside
and a copyof valid
Place
Pre-Addressed
photoMailing
ID Inside
Pre-Addressed
Envelope
and sealMailingit.
Envelope and seal the Pre-Addressed Envelope

Place Secrecy Envelope Inside of
Affidavit Envelope and seal theAffidavit Envelope

Mailcommercial
carrier
MailbybyUS
USMailMAILorONLY
to Absentee
to Absentee
ElectionManagerorbefore
handElectionManageror handdeliverdeliver before
Election
Day.
Election Day

d Ballot Receipt/Return - Non-UOCAVA Voters
If the absentee ballot application is approved, the Absentee Election Manager:
yy forwards the absentee ballot by U.S. Mail; or
yy personally hands the absentee ballot to the voter (or to a designee in the caseof medical emergency voting).
14

BALLOT PROCEDURE — The absentee ballot comes with three envelopes —one plain (the secrecy envelope), one with an affidavit, or oath, printed on theoutside, and one plain, pre-addressed envelope (the outer envelope). Once thevoter casts the ballot, the procedure is as follows: seal the ballot in the plain envelope (the secrecy envelope).
 place the plain envelope inside the accompanying affidavit envelope.
 seal the affidavit envelope and complete the affidavit that is on the outside ofthe envelope.
 sign the affidavit and have the signature witnessed by either a notary public or
two witnesses 18 years of age or older.
 place the affidavit envelope inside the outer envelope
 NOTE: If you are voting a provisional absentee ballot due to lack ofidentification, place a copy of your ID (NOT THE ORIGINAL) inside theouter envelope.
WITNESSES OR NOTARIZATION — An absentee ballot cannot be counted
unless the affidavit is notarized or has the signatures of two witnesses who are
18 years or older.
SUBMITTING THE VOTED BALLOT — The voter is required to use one of thefollowing methods for returning his or her absentee ballot:
 send the ballot to the Absentee Election Manager by U.S. Mail or bycommercial carrier; or personally deliver the ballot to the Absentee Election Manager (or by adesignee in the case of medical emergency voting).
VOTING DEADLINE — An absentee ballot returned by mail must be postmarked
no later than the day prior to the election. If hand-delivered by the voter, theballot must be in the Absentee Election Manager’s office by the close of business(but no later than 5 PM) on the day prior to the election. The absentee ballot
must be received by the Absentee Election Manager by noon on Election Day if,
the ballot is mailed.

15

FREQUENT QUESTIONS
zz I TURNED IN A VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION. AM I REGISTEREDTO VOTE? Just because you turned in a voter registration application does
not necessarily mean you are registered to vote. Once your application has
been processed by your local Board of Registrars, you should receive an
acknowledgement from the Registrars indicating the status of your application.
This acknowledgement will usually be a voter identification card confirmingthat you are registered to vote. However, if your application was incomplete,
you may receive a letter requesting additional information to complete yourapplication. If you are unsure about the status of your application, you should
call your local Board of Registrars or visit alabamavotes.gov.
zz I TURN 18 AFTER THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE BUT BEFORETHE ELECTION. CAN I VOTE IN THAT ELECTION? Yes. As long as you
turn 18 on or before Election Day, even if your birthday is after the voter
registration deadline, you can apply for voter registration and participate inthat election (as long as you meet other voter qualifications). Please note thatyou must turn in your voter registration application before the 14-day close
for voter registration.
zz I HAVE MOVED FROM ONE PART OF THE COUNTY TO ANOTHER AND
WANT TO VOTE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? You must update your voter
registration by either re-registering to vote online or by mailing in a newvoter registration form to the Board of Registrars in your county. Remember,where you live determines who represents you. To be sure you are voting on
candidates in the correct district, it is important that you vote in the correct
precinct.
zz I HAVE MOVED FROM ONE COUNTY TO ANOTHER AND WANT TO
VOTE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? When you move across county lines, youmust register to vote in your new county of residence. Voter registration
does not automatically follow you from one county to another.
zz IT’S THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION. I FORGOT TO REGISTER TO
VOTE. IS IT TOO LATE? Yes, it is too late to register to vote for that election.
To participate in an election, you must submit your application before
registration closes for that election. Registration is closed during the 14 days
prior to an election and on Election Day.
zz WHAT IF I MAKE A MISTAKE ON MY BALLOT? If you have not alreadyplaced your ballot in the electronic voting machine or ballot box, you may ask
a poll worker for another ballot. The poll worker will spoil your first ballot sothat it cannot be counted or reused.
16

zz ARE CANDIDATES ALLOWED TO CAMPAIGN OUTSIDE MY POLLINGPLACE? Yes, electioneering or campaigning is permitted, outside the pollingplace. However, this activity must not be closer than 30 feet to the entrance ofthe polling place. If the polling place is located in a room within a building, thecampaigning must not be closer than 30 feet to the entrance of the building.
If a candidate or his or her supporters are campaigning within 30 feet of theentrance of the polling place, notify the chief inspector of the polling place.
zz CAN A CANDIDATE ASSIST ME IN MARKING MY BALLOT? Yes, if you ask
the candidate to help you. The only people who cannot assist a voter are thevoter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an officer or agent of
the voter’s union.
zz CAN I WEAR CAMPAIGN BUTTONS OR T-SHIRTS WITH POLITICAL
ADVERTISEMENTS INTO THE POLLING PLACE? Yes. However, you should
not loiter or leave any campaign materials in the polling place.
zz CAN I CARRY A SAMPLE BALLOT INTO THE VOTING BOOTH? Yes.
However, you should not leave the sample ballot in the polling place.
zz IF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ARE INCLUDED ON THE BALLOT,
MUST I VOTE ON THEM? No. You are not required to vote on constitutional
amendments. Similarly, you are not required to vote in all races on the ballot.
Participation is your choice.
zz IN A PRIMARY ELECTION, AM I ALLOWED TO VOTE FOR THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ONLY? Yes. In fact, if you choose
not to participate in nominating candidates for either political party, you canrequest a constitutional amendment ballot that contains only the proposedconstitutional amendments.
zz WHEN I VOTED IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION, I WAS ASKED TO
DECLARE A POLITICAL PARTY PREFERENCE. WHY IS THAT? In Alabama,
the Primary Election is part of the nominating process for a political party. It
is used to select who will represent a party in the General Election. You arerequired to choose one political party’s primary over another because you
cannot participate in the nomination of both parties’ candidates. However, in
the General Election, you may split your ticket and vote for candidates fromeach political party.
zz WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT WANT TO DECLARE A POLITICAL
PARTY PREFERENCE AT THE PRIMARY ELECTION? If you choose not todeclare a political preference at the Primary Election, you will not be eligible
to vote in any political party’s Primary Election. You are, however, still eligible17

to vote on any proposed constitutional amendments that are up for a vote.
zz I VOTED IN MY POLITICAL PARTY’S PRIMARY ELECTION. MY PARTY IS
NOT HAVING A RUNOFF. CAN I VOTE IN THE OTHER PARTY’S RUNOFF
ELECTION? No. Alabama has a cross-over voting law that prohibits anyone
who voted in one party’s Primary from voting in another party’s Primary
Runoff. If you do not vote in the Primary Election, you may vote in any party’s
Primary Runoff Election. (See Page 2.)
zz CAN I TAKE A CELL PHONE INTO MY POLLING PLACE? Yes. However,use of the phone in the polling place should not disturb other voters or
disrupt the polling place.
zz CAN I TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS INSIDE MY POLLING PLACE? Yes. However,an individual may only take a photograph of his or her own ballot.Taking otherphotographs within the polling place may intimidate other voters and is notallowed.

d Alabama Boards of Registrars
AUTAUGA COUNTYPO Box 680036
Prattville 36068-0036(334) 358-6740

BLOUNT COUNTY
220 Second Ave E Rm B-5
Oneonta 35121(205) 625-4182

BALDWIN COUNTYPO Box 1507
Bay Minette 36507-1507(251) 937-0305

BULLOCK COUNTY
217 Prairie St N Rm 101
Union Springs 36089-1659(334) 738-5372

BARBOUR COUNTYPO Box 402
Clayton 36016-0402(334) 775-8579

BUTLER COUNTY
700 Court Sq Rm 8
Greenville 36037-2308(334) 382-5685(334) 382-6829

303 E Broad St Rm 108
Eufaula 36027(334) 687-1585
BIBB COUNTY
8 Court Square W
Centreville 35042(205) 926-3102

CALHOUN COUNTY
1702 Noble St Ste 113
Anniston 36201-3889(256) 241-2930

18

CHAMBERS COUNTY
18 Alabama Ave E Rm 101
LaFayette 36862(334) 864-4313
610 S Gilmer Ave
Lanett 36863(334) 644-7781
CHEROKEE COUNTY
260 Cedar Bluff Rd Ste 106
Centre 35960-1403(256) 927-5336
CHILTON COUNTYPO Box 640
Clanton 35046-0640(205) 755-3820
CHOCTAW COUNTY
117 S Mulberry Ave Ste 1
Butler 36904-0132(205) 459-2531

d Alabama Boards of Registrars
CLARKE COUNTYPO Box 10
Grove Hill 36451-0010(251) 275-3062
CLAY COUNTYPO Box 446
Ashland 36251-0446(256) 354-7815
CLEBURNE COUNTY
120 Vickery St Rm103
Heflin 36264-1166(256) 463-5299
COFFEE COUNTY
6 County Complex
New Brockton 36351-9791(334) 894-5347
COLBERT COUNTY
201 N Main St
Tuscumbia 35674-2095(256) 386-8535
CONECUH COUNTY
111 Court St Rm 102
Evergreen 36401(251) 578-7024
COOSA COUNTYPO Box 218
Rockford 35136-0218(256) 377-2418
COVINGTON COUNTY
228 Hillcrest Dr
Andalusia 36420-2570(334) 428-2685
CRENSHAW COUNTYPO Box 328
Luverne 36049-0328(334) 335-6568 x2251(334) 335-6568 x2252(334) 335-6568 x2253

CULLMAN COUNTY
500 2nd Ave SW Ste 112
Cullman 35055-4135(256) 775-4697(256) 775-4750
DALE COUNTYPO Box 1101
Ozark 36361-1101(334) 774-9038
DALLAS COUNTYPO Box 987
Selma 36702-0987(334) 874-2534
DEKALB COUNTY
111 Grand Ave SW Ste 105
Fort Payne 35967(256) 845-8598
ELMORE COUNTY
100 E Commerce St Rm 205
Wetumpka 36092-2746(334) 567-1150(334) 567-1197
ESCAMBIA COUNTYPO Box 557
Brewton 36427-0557(251) 867-0243(251) 867-0312
ETOWAH COUNTY
800 Forrest Ave Ste 206
Gadsden 35901-3651(256) 549-5384
FAYETTE COUNTY
103 First Ave NW Ste 4
Fayette 35555-2627(205) 932-5432
FRANKLIN COUNTYPO Box 70
Russellville 35653-0070(256) 332-8849

19

GENEVA COUNTYPO Box 430
Geneva 36340-0430(334) 684-5655
GREENE COUNTYPO Box 224
Eutaw 35462-0224(205) 372-9669
HALE COUNTY
905D Centerville St
Greensboro 36744-1536(334) 624-4672
HENRY COUNTY
101 Court Square Ste K
Abbeville 36310-2135(334) 585-6080
HOUSTON COUNTYPO Box 6406
Dothan 36302-6406(334) 677-4776
JACKSON COUNTY
102 E Laurel St
Scottsboro 35768(256) 574-9339(256) 574-9335
JEFFERSON COUNTY
716 R Arrington Jr Blvd N
Ste A-410
Birmingham 35203-0115(205) 325-5550
LAMAR COUNTYPO Box 338
Vernon 35592-0338(205) 695-6348(205) 695-9197
LAUDERDALE COUNTYPO Box 1059
Florence 35631-1059(256) 760-5840(256) 760-5841

d Alabama Boards of Registrars
LAWRENCE COUNTY
14451 Market Street Ste 340
Moulton 35650(256) 974-2460(256) 974-2461

MOBILE COUNTY
151 Government St Ste 165
Mobile 36602(251) 574-8586(251) 574-8587

RUSSELL COUNTYPO Box 700
Phenix City 36868-0700(334) 298-1443(334) 448-1508

LEE COUNTYPO Box 1530
Opelika 36803-1530(334) 737-3635

MONROE COUNTYPO Box 972
Monroeville 36461-0972(251) 743-4107 x141

SHELBY COUNTYPO Box 1642
Columbiana 35051-1642(205) 669-3913

LIMESTONE COUNTY
100 Clinton St S Ste E
Athens 35611-2665(256) 233-6405

MONTGOMERY COUNTYPO Box 1667
Montgomery 36102-1667(334) 832-1215

ST. CLAIR COUNTY
1815 Cogswell Ave Ste B-25
Pell City 35125(205) 338-3954

LOWNDES COUNTYPO Box 311
Hayneville 36040-0311(334) 548-2389(334) 548-2080

MORGAN COUNTYPO Box 668
Decatur 35602-0668(256) 351-4660(256) 351-4663

SUMTER COUNTYPO Box 783
Livingston 35470-0783(205) 652-7902

MACON COUNTY
101 Rosa Parks Ave Ste 100
Tuskegee 36083-1735(334) 724-2617

PERRY COUNTYPO Box 555
Marion 36756-0555(334) 683-2218 x5

MADISON COUNTY
819 Cook Ave NW Ste 150
Huntsville 35801-5983(256) 532-3510(256) 532-3519

PICKENS COUNTYPO Box 173
Carrollton 35447-0173(205) 367-2074

PO Box 6170
Talladega 35161-6170(256) 761-2131(256) 761-2132

PIKE COUNTY
120 W Church St Rm B2
Troy 36081-1913(334) 566-1757(334) 566-6449

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY
125 N Broadnax St Rm 20
Dadeville 36853-1371(256) 825-1081

MARENGO COUNTYPO Box 480715
Linden 36748-0715(334) 295-2249(334) 295-2086
MARION COUNTYPO Box 964
Hamilton 35570-0964(205) 921-3625
MARSHALL COUNTY
424 Blount Ave Ste 106A
Guntersville 35976-1122(256) 571-7740

RANDOLPH COUNTYPO Box 215
Wedowee 36278-0215(256) 357-2138

TALLADEGA COUNTY
400 N Norton Ave
Sylacauga 35150-2010(256) 249-1007(256) 249-1014

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY
2501 7th St Ste 200
Tuscaloosa 35401-1801(205) 349-3870 x415
WALKER COUNTYPO Box 1472
Jasper 35502-1472(205) 384-7279

20

d Alabama Boards of Registrars
WASHINGTON COUNTYPO Box 1224
Chatom 36518-1224(251) 847-3255

WILCOX COUNTYPO Box 661
Camden 36726-0661(334) 682-9753

d Notes

21

WINSTON COUNTYPO Box 459
Double Springs 35553-0459(205) 489-3966

d Notes

22