How Many Registered Voters In Alabama
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Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which American citizens cast their ballots in their individual states.
THE BASICS
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See state election laws
This page includes the following:
- Voter registration details, including methods of registering and requirements
- Details on voting in elections, including identification requirements, poll times, and primary election type
- Absentee/mail-in voting rules[1]
- Early voting rules
- Convicted felons' voting rights
- Election administration costs report
- Election agencies list
- Election policy ballot measures list
- Election policy legislation list
See Election administration in Alabama for more detailed information about election and voting policy in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Voter registration
To register to vote in Alabama, the state requires that each applicant be a citizen of the United States who resides in Alabama. A voter must be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. In order to be eligible to vote, a citizen cannot have been barred from doing so due to a felony conviction and cannot have been declared mentally incompetent by a court.[2]
Voters cannot register during the 14-day period preceding an election. A citizen can register to vote in the following locations:[2]
- License branches
- State or local government offices
- Public libraries
- Military recruiting stations
- County boards of registrars
Prospective voters may also mail in a registration form. Click here to find out how.
Automatic registration
Alabama does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
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- See also: Online voter registration
Alabama has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Alabama does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Alabama, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
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- See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States
An Alabama state law, passed in 2011, calls for people to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote.[3] However, as of August 2019, the law had not been implemented.[4]
In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot require proof of citizenship with federal registration forms. That meant states would need to create a separate registration system for state elections in order to require proof of citizenship. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill (R) said the following: "That's an election administration nightmare ... You'd have to have two sets of poll books, one for federal elections and one for state elections, and that just doesn't make any sense to me."[5]
Verifying your registration
The site Alabama Votes, run by the Alabama Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voting in elections
President Barack Obama and others casting their ballots in 2012
Voter identification
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- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Alabama requires voters to present photo ID while voting.
The following list of accepted photo ID was current as of October 2019. Click here for the Alabama Secretary of State's page on accepted photo ID to ensure you have the most current information.
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A voter can obtain a free photo ID from the Alabama Secretary of State, a county registrar's office, or a mobile location, which changes daily. The mobile location schedule can be accessed here.
Voters must provide a copy of their photo ID with their application for an absentee ballot and with the absentee ballot itself, with the exception of 1) voters for whom polling locations are inaccessible due to age or disability, and 2) overseas military members.[7] [8]
Background
Beginning with the June 2014 primaries, each voter in Alabama was required to present a valid photo ID at the polls. A 2011 voter photo ID law went into effect after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act on June 25, 2013.[9] [10]
On January 10, 2018, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama issued a ruling upholding the state's voter ID law. The plaintiffs in the case (opponents of the state's voter ID law) claimed that the law violated the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The court rejected these claims in its ruling. The plaintiffs appealed the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which heard oral argument in the case on July 27, 2018.[11] [12]
As of April 2021, 35 states enforced (or were scheduled to begin enforcing) voter identification requirements. A total of 21 states required voters to present photo identification at the polls; the remainder accepted other forms of identification. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.[13] [14]
Poll times
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- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Alabama polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time on the date of an election. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[15] [16] Most of Alabama falls within the Central time zone. Portions of eastern Alabama, including Phenix City and some surrounding areas, observe Eastern Time as opposed to Central Time.[17]
Primary election type
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- See also: Primary elections in Alabama
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Alabama uses an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[18] [19] [20]
Absentee voting
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- See also: Absentee voting
A voter is eligible to vote absentee in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:[21]
- The voter will be absent from the county on Election Day.
- The voter is ill or has a disability that prevents a trip to the polling place.
- The voter is a registered voter living outside the county, such as a member of the armed forces, a voter employed outside the United States, a college student, or a spouse or child of such a person.
- The voter is an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place.
- The voter works a required shift of 10 hours or more that coincides with polling hours.
The absentee ballot application must be received at least five days prior to the election in the above circumstances. In the following circumstances, the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. the day before the election:
- The voter is required by an employer under unforeseen circumstances to be out of the county on Election Day for an emergency business trip.
- The voter has a medical emergency requiring treatment from a licensed physician.
- The voter is a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment by a licensed physician within five days before an election.
- The voter has a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity die within five days before an election.
The absentee ballot must then be returned either in person by close of business the day before the election or by mail. If returned by mail, the ballot must be postmarked no later than the day before the election and received by the election manager by noon on Election Day.[21]
Early voting
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- See also: Early voting
Alabama does not permit early voting.
Convicted felons' voting rights
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- See also: Voting rights for convicted felons
In Alabama, individuals convicted of felonies that the state defines as involving moral turpitude are disqualified from voting. As of August 2019, Alabama law specified 46 types of crimes that it defined as involving moral turpitude. Click here for the list of disqualifying felonies.
Those convicted of most felonies listed can apply to the state Board of Pardons and Paroles to have their voting eligibility restored upon completion of sentence, completion of parole or probation, or pardon. As of August 2019, Alabama state law specified 15 crimes involving moral turpitude for which a convicted individual is permanently disqualified from voting. Click here for the list of permanently disqualifying felonies.
Voting rights for convicted felons vary from state to state. In the majority of states, convicted felons cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[22] [23] [24]
Election administration costs
National Conference of State Legislatures report, 2018
On February 14, 2018, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) released a report on the costs of election administration in the states: "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections." The report's authors noted that "no one knows how much [states] spend on elections ... [because] good research on election costs is slim." Generally, local units of government (most often counties, but sometimes cities and towns) are primarily responsible for election administration costs, though states and the federal government may also contribute. The report identified the states listed in the table below as assuming financial responsibility for at least some aspects of election administration.[25]
To access the complete NCSL report, click here.
Election administration costs assumed by state | |||
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State pays all expenses for federal or state elections | State bears a portion of election costs | State pays for statewide special elections or statewide elections that don't coincide with regularly scheduled elections | State pays for primary elections (statewide, presidential, or both) |
Alaska Delaware | Alabama Colorado Hawaii Kentucky Louisiana Rhode Island | Arkansas Florida Iowa Michigan Missouri New Jersey North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Washington West Virginia | Arizona Arkansas Idaho Kansas Michigan Minnesota Missouri South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington |
Note: If a state is not listed above, it was not included in the report. Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018 |
Election agencies
Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
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- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Alabama can contact the following state and federal agencies.
Alabama Secretary of State, Elections Division
- 600 Dexter Ave, Suite E-208
- Montgomery, Alabama 36130
- Telephone: 334-242-7210
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 1335 East West Highway, Suite 4300
- Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
- Telephone: 866-747-1471
Election policy ballot measures
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- See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Alabama ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Alabama.
- Alabama Popular Election of City Boards of Education, Amendment 3 (1999)
- Alabama Utilities in Tuskegee, Amendment 6 (2008)
- Alabama State Senate Elections, Amendment 2 (1932)
- Alabama Primary Election Votes, Amendment 3 (1944)
- Alabama Voter Registration in Madison County (May 1972)
- Alabama Constitutional Change Applying to One County Amendment (1982)
- Alabama Macon County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 3 (2006)
- Alabama Amendment 1, Citizenship Requirement for Voting Measure (2020)
- Alabama Prohibit Changes to Election Conduct Laws within Six Months of General Elections Amendment (2022)
Election policy legislation
The following is a list of recent election bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Alabama state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Alabama voting. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Alabama
- Redistricting in Alabama
Elections in Alabama
- Alabama elections, 2022
- Alabama elections, 2021
- Alabama elections, 2020
- Alabama elections, 2019
- Alabama elections, 2018
- Alabama elections, 2017
- Alabama elections, 2016
- Alabama elections, 2015
- Alabama elections, 2014
External links
- Alabama Secretary of State - Elections
Footnotes
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use "mail voting" (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Alabama Secretary of State, "Voter Registration General Information," accessed August 19, 2019
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Election Laws, Section 31-13-28," accessed August 21, 2019
- ↑ Phone conversation between Amée LaTour and Jeff Elrod, supervisor of voter registration with the Alabama Secretary of State office.
- ↑ Pew Trusts, "'Proof of Citizenship' Voting Laws May Surge Under Trump," November 16, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Election Laws, Section 17-10-1," accessed August 20, 2019
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting Information," accessed August 20, 2019
- ↑ AL.com, "Alabama photo voter ID law to be used in 2014, state officials say," June 25, 2013
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State Website, "Voter ID Implementation," accessed April 28, 2014
- ↑ United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, "Greater Birmingham Ministries v. Merrill: Memorandum of Opinion," January 10, 2018
- ↑ Courthouse News Service, "11th Circuit Hears NAACP Challenge to Alabama Voter ID Law," July 27, 2018
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," June 5, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Title 17, Chapter 9, Section 6," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ NBC News, "Voters already in line at poll closing can still cast ballots," December 12, 2017
- ↑ The Decatur Daily, "Parts of Eastern Alabama split between 2 time zones," August 13, 2006
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures Website, "State Primary Election Types," accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Fair Vote, "Congressional and Presidential Primaries: Open, Closed, Semi-Closed, and 'Top Two,'" accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Alabama Secretary of State Elections Website, "Absentee Voting Information," accessed August 21, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," July 15, 2014
- ↑ American Civil Liberties Union, "State Criminal Re-enfranchisement Laws," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Restoring the Right to Vote by State," March 27, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018
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Resources | Sample Ballot Lookup • Elections calendar • State poll opening and closing times • Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • Elections by state and year • State voter ID laws • Absentee voting • Early voting • Online voter registration • Election result canvassing | |
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2019 elections | U.S. Congress special elections • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall | |
2018 elections | U.S. Congress • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall | |
How to vote in each state | Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • Washington, D.C. • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming |
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How Many Registered Voters In Alabama
Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Voting_in_Alabama
Posted by: linfrookonsi.blogspot.com
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