HUNTSVILLE, Ala — The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot for the general election in Alabama is approaching. There’s even less time to actually register to vote. In these last weeks leading up to election day, it’s important to know your status. Here's how to check.
When election day rolls around, one thing you don’t want to experience is any confusion on whether or not your name is going to be on the list of registered voters. Whether you’re heading into the polls or sending in your picks absentee for the general election, you need to know your status. To check whether or not you are registered to vote, all you have to do is hop online.
If you go to myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview, you’ll find prompts to enter your name and date of birth to check your voter registration status.
You can also check your status via phone by calling the Secretary of State's Office at 334.242.7210 or by checking with your local board of registrars office. After submitting your information, you’ll get your status.
What if you thought you were registered to vote and after checking you status, you find out you aren’t?
For the November 3 General Election, the deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 19.
You can find the registration form online at Alabamavotes.gov. You can only complete the voter registration form online if you have a valid Alabama state driver's license.
We met with Alabama Secretary of State, John H. Merrill, to discuss what voters need to know before election day. He says, “Go ahead and complete the electronic application-- if you have a valid Alabama driver’s license. If you don’t, download the application, fill it in by hand. Or, it’s in a fillable pdf, print it out, submit it to the Board of Registrar’s office and you’ll be on record being prepared to vote on November 3.”
Once your voter registration is approved, some important dates are coming up quickly.
The deadline to submit an application to receive an absentee ballot is Thursday, October 29.
You can find that application online too.
Once your application to submit an absentee ballot is approved, Secretary of State Merrill tells us, “You can vote in person absentee or absentee by mail…”
The deadline to physically bring your absentee ballot “in person” to your local Absentee Election Manager is the close of business Monday, November 2.
If you’re sending your absentee in by mail, the last day your absentee ballot can be postmarked and accepted is Monday, November 2.
Voters who are eligible to vote according to to the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act will have until Tuesday, November 3 to postmark an absentee ballot. Find more information on those included under the act here.
Those people include:
members of the United States Uniformed Services and merchant marine;
their family members; and
United States citizens living outside the United States.
If you still have questions about checking your registration status or getting an absentee ballot, you should contact the Secretary of State’s Office for help or click here to be directed to the office website's frequently asked questions page.