FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What forms of Identification (ID) do I need to vote?
If I left my Photo ID at home, can I vote a Provisional Ballot?
Can I review a sample ballot prior to voting?
If I have moved, can I vote at my former precinct?
Where can I get a Voter Update Form?
Is ID required when voting by Military or Overseas citizens?
Can anyone vote Absentee?
What do I need to know if voting absentee in the 2020 Presidential Elections?
What is “In Person Absentee” voting?
Can I vote “In Person Absentee” if I am concerned about COVID-19 exposure on November 3 but would otherwise be able to vote at my regular precinct?
If I vote “In Person Absentee,” is my vote counted immediately?
What is the last day to vote “In Person Absentee” for the 2020 General Election?
Is there such a thing as Business/Medical Emergency voting?
Other than UOCAVA, or Absentee, or Business/Emergency, does Alabama have early voting?
Does Alabama have Election Centers?
Is there a deadline to register to vote prior to an Election?
What forms of Identification (ID) do I need to vote?
Beginning with the June 3, 2014 Primary elections, all voters must have a Photo ID. Allowable forms of Photo ID include: A valid (not expired) Alabama Driver’s license; a valid non-driver license; a valid U.S. passport; a valid employee ID issued by any branch, department or agency of the State of Alabama, or the U.S. Government or any county or municipality; a valid student ID with photo; a valid military ID with photo; or a valid tribal ID with photo.
(Note: If a Driver’s License has been expired less than 60 days, the voter can cast a regular ballot. Section 32-6-1 (b) Code of Alabama. Also, if two election officials positively identify a voter, and sign a sworn affidavit, a voter will be able to cast a regular ballot without a Photo ID. Section 17-9-30 (e)).
If I left my Photo ID at home, can I vote a Provisional Ballot?
Yes.
But the voter must then travel to the Board of Registrar’s Office at the Jefferson County (Birmingham) Courthouse, and present their Photo ID by the Friday following the Tuesday election. The Registrar’s Office is in the Courthouse Annex, Room 410-A, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd N., Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The telephone number for the Board of Registrar’s is (205) 325-5550.
Can I review a sample ballot prior to voting?
The Probate Court will try to make sample ballots available on this website in advance of any statewide or national election. You may view sample ballots by visiting our Sample Ballots page.
If I have moved, can I vote at my former precinct?
No. The Alabama Supreme Court issued an opinion (Davis v. Bennett, WL 1508700) on this issue on April 18, 2014.
As a voter is showing their Photo ID on Election Day, the Poll Worker will look up the voter information (name and address). If the Poll Worker becomes aware that a voter has moved, and has not updated their address with the Board of Registrars, the Poll Worker will assist the Voter by calling the Board of Registrars, (205) 325-5550, to obtain the correct (updated) precinct voting location. The Voter will then be informed that they need to travel to the new precinct. Upon arrival of the Voter at the proper precinct, that precinct will also call the Board of Registrars to obtain the proper ballot style. The Voter will complete a Voter Update Form and will cast a Provisional Ballot (that will count, assuming a Photo ID is presented).
(Note: It should be added that if a Voter does not wish to travel to their new (proper) precinct on Election Day, they will be allowed to vote at their former precinct by completing a Voter Update Form and by voting a Provisional Ballot; however, their vote, to put it bluntly because voters deserve honesty, will not count when the provisional ballots are tabulated because they are not voting at the proper precinct. That is the current state of the law in Alabama).
It is suggested that Voters update their information upon moving instead of waiting until Election Day.
Where can I get a Voter Update Form?
Voter Update Forms are available from the Jefferson County Registrar, Barry Stephenson, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N., Room 410-A, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 Telephone: (205) 325-5550, or from Jefferson County Probate Court in Birmingham, 716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Blvd. N., Room 120, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 Telephone: (205) 254-7387, or from Bessemer Probate, 1851 2nd Ave. N., Bessemer, Alabama 35020, Telephone: (205) 481-4100, or on-line at www.jeffcoelectionsal.com, click on VOTERS, and then on Register To Vote (the Form can also be used to update an address), print it, fill it in and mail to the Registrar (The mailing address for Jefferson County is on the form).
Is ID required when voting by Military or Overseas citizens?
No.
Under the Uniform and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), voters entitled to vote by absentee ballot shall NOT be required to produce ID prior to voting.
Can anyone vote Absentee?
No.
A voter may cast an absentee ballot if he or she:
- Will be absent from the county on election day
- Is ill or has a physical disability that prevents a trip to the polling place
- Is a registered Alabama 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
- Is an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place
- Works a required shift, 10-hours or more, that coincides with polling hours
What do I need to know if voting absentee in the 2020 Presidential Elections?
Following a vote of the Jefferson County Commission on October 16, 2020, the Jefferson County Courthouses in downtown Birmingham and Bessemer will be open for the Jefferson County Absentee Election Managers to facilitate in-person absentee voting on Saturday, October 17, 2020 and Saturday, October 24, 2020 between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.
What is “In Person Absentee” voting?
In-Person Absentee voting refers to a person who visits the Absentee Election Manager’s office in Birmingham (5th Floor of the Jefferson County Courthouse) or Bessemer (Basement of the Jefferson County Courthouse Annex-Bessemer) and completes the entire process of applying for, obtaining and voting his or her absentee ballot during that visit.
If you reside in the district of Birmingham and are planning on voting absentee, you will need to vote absentee in Birmingham:
716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Suite 500
Birmingham AL 35203
Phone: 205-325-5313
If you live in the Bessemer cut-off and are planning on voting absentee, you will need to vote absentee in Bessemer:
1851 2nd Ave
Bessemer, AL 35020
Phone: 205-497-8513
*If you are not sure where your residence is located, please contact the Board of Registrars at 205-325-5550.
Can I vote “In Person Absentee” if I am concerned about COVID-19 exposure on November 3 but would otherwise be able to vote at my regular precinct?
Yes. The Alabama Secretary of State, John Merrill, has issued an emergency rule that provides that a person who is concerned about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may select “I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls.” as his or her reason for voting absentee. Note that ID is required to do so.
If I vote “In Person Absentee,” is my vote counted immediately?
No. Your absentee ballot is kept in its sealed secrecy envelope, just as if it was mailed in, until November 3, 2020. Absentee ballots are not processed until the polls close at 7:00 pm on November 3, 2020.
What is the last day to vote “In Person Absentee” for the 2020 General Election?
By law, Thursday, October 29, 2020, is the last day that a person may apply for an absentee ballot for the 2020 General Election. This means that October 29 is also the last day that a person may vote “In Person Absentee,” which, as noted above, is the common term for a person who visits the Absentee Election Manager’s office in Birmingham or Bessemer and completes the entire process of applying for, obtaining and voting his or her absentee ballot during that visit. Please note that a person who has applied for and received an absentee ballot may hand-deliver it to the Birmingham or Bessemer Absentee Elections Manager, as appropriate, on October 30 or November 2, but no one may initiate the process of requesting an absentee ballot after October 29. Please note also that you must mail or hand-deliver your absentee ballot to the correct division (Birmingham or Bessemer), as these are not interchangeable.
Is there such a thing as Business/Medical Emergency voting?
Yes.
- If required by an employer under unforeseen circumstances to be out of the county on election day for an emergency business trip, or
- Has a medical emergency requiring treatment from a licensed physician
Other than UOCAVA, or Absentee, or Business/Emergency, does Alabama have early voting?
No.
Unlike quite a few states in which voters can cast their ballots several weeks prior to Election Day, Alabama does NOT have early voting.
Does Alabama have Election Centers?
No.
Many states have large facilities which any voter can visit to cast their ballot no matter where they live. Alabama uses a polling precinct system at which voters can only vote in the precinct in which they reside.
Is there a deadline to register to vote prior to an Election?
Yes.
The deadline to register to vote is 14 days before Election Day.
This video details the deadlines for the 2020 Presidential Elections
