IMPORTANT NOTICE: All General Election information presented here, including dates and deadlines, is accurate as of November 2020. The US General Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 has now passed. You can still find information on important dates here, including when ballots must be received by your state.

How to register to vote in Alabama

The information on this page applies to the November 3, 2020 General Election. Voting for that election has ended in all states.

Who can vote

To register in Alabama you must:
  • be a citizen of the United States
  • be a resident of Alabama and your county at the time of registration
  • be 18 years old on or before election day
  • not be barred from voting by reason of a disqualifying felony conviction, or if you have been convicted, you must have had your civil rights restored. You can find the list of disqualifying felonies on the Secretary of State’s website here at: sos.alabama.gov/mtfelonies
  • not have been declared mentally incompetent in a court
  • swear or affirm to "support and defend the Constitution of the U.S. and the State of Alabama and further disavow any belief or affiliation with any group which advocates the overthrow of the governments of the U.S. or the State of Alabama by unlawful means and that the information contained herein is true, so help me God"
  • You can find more information on voting rights restoration here

Online voter registration

  • Alabama offers online voter registration.
  • You should know: you need an Alabama driver's license or non-driver ID to use Alabama's online voter registration system. If you don't have an Alabama-issued ID, you can still register by mail to vote.

By-mail voter registration

Use the Alabama voter registration form

You can also register to vote using the Alabama voter registration form. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and fill it out completely. Send the completed form to your local Board of Registrars

Use the National Voter Registration Form

  1. Print and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
  2. Box 6 - ID Number: If you have one, you must provide your Alabama driver's license number or Alabama non-driver's identification card number. If you do not have an Alabama driver's license or non-driver's identification card, you must provide the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers you must write the word "NONE" and a unique identifier will be provided for you.
  3. Box 7 - Choice of Party: Alabama does NOT require that you register with a party to participate in partisan primary elections.
  4. Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: You are required to fill in this box; however, your application will not be rejected if you fail to do so.
  5. Review the "Who can vote?" section above and check that you're eligible.
  6. Sign the form.
  7. Send the completed form to your local Board of Registrars

Election Day registration

Alabama does not offer registration on Election Day.

In-person voter registration

Due to COVID-19, in-person services may have limited availability. Contact your local Board of Registrars to confirm. See CDC guidance on safe in-person registration and voting.

Get step-by-step help

If you’d like more help planning how to register, TurboVote can walk you through the process! They can also help you start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more.

Military and overseas voters

Active-duty military, their families, and overseas citizens can register to vote and request their absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA process is done by mail, but your state may offer other options to request and return ballots. Please contact your election official for more information about delivery and return methods, including email, fax, and state online portals. To follow the FPCA process:
  1. Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), or download a copy. Your election official may have questions, so please provide an email address or phone number where they can reach you.
  2. Send the application to your election official.
  3. It is never too early to submit an FPCA! Please do so as soon as possible.
  4. Please fill out and send back your ballot as soon as you receive it.
  5. States begin mailing absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day. If you haven't received your ballot by 30 days before Election Day, contact your local Absentee Election Manager’s office.
If after submitting your FPCA, your ballot does not arrive, contact your election official first. Then:
  • You can still vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Print, sign, and mail your FWAB to your local Absentee Election Manager’s office.
  • If you mail a FWAB and then receive your regular absentee ballot, you should complete and mail your absentee ballot also. Election officials will ensure that only one ballot is counted.
The Federal Voting Assistance Program – FVAP.gov offers additional information on military and overseas voting in Alabama. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE or email vote@fvap.gov

Check your voter registration status

You can look up your voter registration record and verify that your information is correct using Alabama's voter registration lookup tool.

Election contact information for Alabama

Address:
Office of the Secretary of State
Alabama State Capitol Building - Election Division, Suite E-208, 600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130

Phone Number:
(800) 274-8683

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