Absentee voting is available beginning 55 days before the election, if you meet any of the criteria below. The last day to request an absentee ballot is 5 days before the election (in person, 7 days in advance if delivered by mail). Voted ballots must be received either by noon on Election Day if delivered by mail, or by close of business a day before Election Day in order to be counted.
If you vote an absentee ballot you must submit a copy of a valid photo ID. If you are entitled to vote absentee through the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, or any other federal law, you are not required to show the photo ID when voting absentee.
Absentee Voting Eligibility
You may cast an absentee ballot if you:
- Will be absent from the county on Election Day
- Are ill or have a physical disability that prevents a trip to the polling place
- Are a registered Alabama voter living outside the county
- Are an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than your regular polling place
- You are working a required shift of ten hours or more that coincides with polling hours
- Are a caregiver for a family member (to the second degree of kinship) and the family member is confined to their home
- Currently incarcerated in prison or jail, but have not been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.
Business and medical emergency voting applications can be made after the absentee deadline, but no later than 5:00 pm on the day before the election for business emergencies and up to noon on the day of the election for medical emergencies, if you:
- Are required by an employer under unforeseen circumstances to be out of the county on Election Day for an emergency business trip
- Are a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment by a licensed physician within 5 days before an election
- Has a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity die within 5 days before an election
- Have a medical emergency requiring treatment from a licensed physician
Upon receiving the absentee ballot application, the absentee election manager may request additional evidence on the reason for voting absentee if you have a history of absentee voting.
If the absentee ballot application is approved, the absentee election manager forwards the absentee ballot by U.S. Mail or personally hands the absentee ballot to the voter (or to a designee in the case of emergency voting).
Ballot Receipt/Return
You can return the absentee ballot:
- By US mail
- By personally hands the absentee ballot to the absentee election manager (or delivers by a designee in case of medical emergency absentee voting)
- By commercial carrier
Your absentee ballot must be postmarked no later than the day before the election and received no later than noon on election day. If it is hand delivered, the ballot must be in the office of the Absentee Election Manager by the close of business (no later than 5 pm) on the day prior to the election.
Those who requested an absentee ballot but end up voting in person may only do so by a provisional ballot. Do not mail a ballot and vote in person. For specifics, you can find your local county clerk contact info here.
Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.
