Today is the day that Alabama Republicans and Democrats go to the polls to selects who they want representing their parties on the general election ballot this fall. Voters will be asked to select either a Republican or a Democratic ballot when they go to the polls. They will also be asked to show photo-ID.
Forms of photo ID accepted at the polls are any of the following documents: driver’s license; Alabama photo voter ID card; State issued ID (any state); federal issued ID; US passport; employee ID from Federal Government, State of Alabama, County, Municipality, Board, or other entity of this state; student or employee ID from a public or private college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools); Military ID; or Tribal ID.
Persons without a valid photo ID can get an Alabama photo voter ID card for free from their Board of Registrars.
To apply for the free Alabama photo voter ID, a voter must show: a photo ID document or a non-photo identity document that contains full legal name and date of birth; documentation showing the voter’s date of birth; documentation showing the person is a registered voter; and documentation showing the voter’s name and address as reflected in the voter registration record. A citizen’s name, address, and voter registration status can be verified by the Secretary of State’s Staff, using the statewide voter registration system.
Examples of non-photo ID documents that can be used in applying for a free Alabama photo voter ID card include a birth certificate, marriage record, Social Security Administration document, hospital or nursing home record, Medicare or Medicaid document, or an official school record or transcript.
The State of Alabama does not have same day voter registration so if you are not already registered to vote, you likely will not be able to. The deadline to get registered for this election has passed. If you are registered to vote, and moved but still live in the state of Alabama but did not update your registration; you will have to go back to where you were assigned to vote when you lived at your old address.
The Secretary of State’s website can tell the polling location of any registered voter.
Alabama does not have any online voting. You have to physically go to the polling place where you are assigned in order to participate in the election. It is also too late to get an absentee ballot; but if you have an absentee ballot you need to go ahead and turn that in.
Alabama’s new law against crossover voting does apply to this election. Alabama does not have party registration so you can choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot today no matter how you voted last time; however if there are runoff elections in July you may only participate for the party that you select today. If you do not vote today you can vote in either the Republican or Democratic runoff elections. No matter how you vote today or in the runoff you are free to vote for the candidates of your choice regardless of party in the general election on November 6.
The winners of the Democratic primary will face the winners of the Republican primary plus any independent or minor party candidates in the general election.
On the ballot today will be governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, auditor, Congress, commissioner of agriculture and industries, treasurer, public service commissioner, chief justice of the Alabama supreme court, associate justice, court of civil appeals, court of criminal appeals, circuit court judges, district court judges, circuit clerks, state senators, state representatives; plus numerous local races including: county commissioner, superintendent of education, sheriff, revenue commissioners, probate judges, etc. There may also be candidates for state or even county party executive committees. Where your party does not have a candidate or only one candidate qualified in that party for that office; those races will not appear on your primary ballots today. There is no write-in candidates allowed in either party primary. In some jurisdictions there are county amendments on the ballot, including some revenue issues.
The polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.
Check alreporter.com for election results.
