Alabama Primary Absentee Voting Begins Wednesday

With Alabama's May 19th party primaries less than two months away, absentee balloting will begin tomorrow across the state. You must apply for an absentee ballot by May 12 if you’re doing it by mail, or by May 14 if you’re doing it in person.

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According to the Alabama Secretary of State's website, there are eight qualifications for voting absentee. A voter may cast an absentee ballot if he or she

1. EXPECTS TO BE ABSENT FROM THE COUNTY on election day,
2. IS ILL OR HAS A PHYSICAL DISABILITY that prevents a trip to the polling place,
3. IS PHYSICALLY INCAPACITATED AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE IN PERSON BECAUSE THEY CANNOT ACCESS THEIR ASSIGNED POLLING PLACE DUE TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DISABILITIES (neurological, musculoskeletal, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, or other life-altering disorder that affects his or her ability to perform manual tasks, stand for any length of time, walk unassisted, see, hear or speak) AND: A) HE OR SHE IS AN ELDERLY VOTER AGED 65 OR OLDER; OR B) HE OR SHE IS A VOTER WITH A DISABILITY,
4. 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,
5. IS AN APPOINTED ELECTION OFFICER OR POLL WATCHER at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place,
6. EXPECTS TO WORK A REQUIRED SHIFT, 10-HOURS OR MORE, that coincides with polling hours,
7. IS A CAREGIVER for a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity and the family member is confined to his or her home,
8. IS CURRENTLY INCARCERATED in prison or jail and has not been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.

EMERGENCY ABSENTEE VOTING applications can be made after the absentee deadline but no later than 5 PM on the day before the election, if the voter:

• is required by an employer under unforeseen circumstances to be unavailable at the polls on the day of the election,
• is a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment by licensed physician within five days before an election,
• has a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity die within five days before an election.

Once you receive the ballot, you have until May 18 to return it in person, and if you mail it back, the ballot must be received by noon on election day.