Oddusee Civic Guides · Verified August 2026
Three things that make voting in Birmingham different: (1) Alabama has no early voting and absentee requires an excuse — plan for Election Day. (2) Photo ID is required, but a free voter ID card is available, and most felonies do not take away your vote in Alabama. (3) This November is huge: an open Governor’s race, an open U.S. Senate seat, and special congressional elections under the redrawn map.
📍 Register online | Check status / find your polling place | Absentee rules
Key dates — November 3, 2026 General
- Registration deadline: Monday, October 19, 2026 (15 days before).
- Absentee application: by mail received October 27; in person by October 29.
- Absentee return: by hand by close of business November 2; by mail received by noon November 3. Ballot needs a notary or two witnesses.
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 7 AM – 7 PM, at your assigned precinct.
Dates can change — always confirm with the Alabama Secretary of State.
Can I vote?
You can register if you’re a U.S. citizen, an Alabama resident, and will be 18 by Election Day.
- Felony conviction? Check the list. Only Alabama’s list of 47 “moral turpitude” felonies disqualifies — simple drug possession and most other felonies never took your vote away. If your conviction IS listed, apply for a CERV (Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote) once sentence, parole, fines, and restitution are complete — it’s essentially automatic when you qualify (murder and sex offenses need a full pardon). Greater Birmingham Ministries helps for free.
The ID you need
Photo ID is required: Alabama driver’s license or non-driver ID (OK up to 60 days expired), free AL photo voter ID card, passport, government or government-employee ID, Alabama college student ID, military ID, tribal ID, or pistol permit with photo. No ID? If two poll officials positively identify you, you vote a regular ballot; otherwise vote provisional and bring ID to the Board of Registrars by 5 PM Friday after the election. Free voter IDs are issued at the courthouse (716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N) and SOS mobile units.
Primary & party
Alabama has open primaries (no party registration), but no crossover: if you vote in one party’s primary, only that party’s runoff is open to you. Majority required — top two runoff otherwise. The 2026 primary was May 19 (runoff June 16). City races are nonpartisan on a separate August cycle.
Where to vote
You vote at your assigned precinct — and Jefferson County updated several locations in early 2026, so double-check yours. Birmingham precincts include Legion Field (400 Graymont Ave W), the county courthouse lobby (716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N), Memorial Park Rec Center (524 6th Ave S), Sixth Avenue Baptist (1101 MLK Jr Dr SW), North Birmingham Library (2501 31st Ave N), Five Points West Library (4812 Avenue W), Avondale Library (509 40th St S), and Wenonah High (2916 Wilson Rd SW). Curbside voting is banned in Alabama; every location must be accessible and you may bring a helper of your choice.
Find your polling place | Jefferson County elections office
The offices Birmingham residents elect
Current officeholders as of August 2026 (verified). City government was just elected (August 2025) — next city election 2029. Nearly everything else IS on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: Alabama elects its whole state government this year.
City government (next election Aug 2029)
- Mayor: Randall Woodfin (third term, won with 75%)
- City Council: D1 Clinton Woods; D2 Hunter Williams; D3 Josh Vasa; D4 Brian Gunn; D5 Darrell O’Quinn; D6 Crystal Smitherman; D7 Wardine Alexander (President); D8 Sonja Smith; D9 LaTonya Tate (Pro Tem)
- Board of Education: D1 Sherman Collins Jr.; D2 Neonta Williams; D3 Mary Boehm; D4 Derrick Billups; D5 James Sullivan; D6 Leticia Harvill; D7 Walter Wilson; D8 Antwon Womack; D9 Yamika Foy
Jefferson County (mostly on the 2026 ballot)
- County Commission: D1 Lashunda Scales; D2 Sheila Tyson; D3 Jimmie Stephens (President); D4 Joe Knight; D5 Mike Bolin
- Sheriff: Mark Pettway (seeking a third term in 2026)
- District Attorney (Birmingham Division): Danny Carr (next up 2028; the Bessemer Cutoff has its own DA, Lynneice Washington)
- Tax Assessor: Gaynell Hendricks; Tax Collector: J.T. Smallwood (both 2026); Treasurer: Angela Webb Weinberg
- Presiding Probate Judge: Jim Naftel II; Circuit Clerk (Birmingham): Jackie Anderson-Smith
- Judges: partisan elections, 6-year terms; the 10th Circuit has 30+ judgeships — roster at jefferson.alacourt.gov
State — all on the Nov 2026 ballot
- Governor: Kay Ivey term-limited — Tommy Tuberville (R) vs. Doug Jones (D)
- Lt. Governor: open — John Wahl (R) vs. Phillip Ensler (D); Attorney General: open — Katherine Robertson (R) vs. Jeff McLaughlin (D); Secretary of State: open — Caroleene Dobson (R) vs. Wayne Rogers (D)
- Treasurer: Young Boozer (R) vs. Rosilyn Houston (D); Auditor: Andrew Sorrell (R) vs. Violet Edwards (D); Agriculture: Corey Hill (R) vs. Ron Sparks (D); PSC: both seats contested
- AL House (Birmingham districts, all on the ballot): HD52 open — nominee Gigi Hayes; HD54 Neil Rafferty; HD55 Travis Hendrix; HD56 Ontario Tillman; HD57 Patrick Sellers; HD58 Rolanda Hollis; HD59 Mary Moore; HD60 open — nominee Alicia Escott Lumpkin
- AL Senate: SD18 Rodger Smitherman; SD19 Merika Coleman; SD20 Linda Coleman-Madison
Federal
- U.S. House: AL-6 Gary Palmer (R) vs. Maurice Mercer (D); AL-7 Terri Sewell (D) vs. Ammie Akin (R) — special elections under the redrawn map; new lines take effect Jan 2027
- U.S. Senate: Tuberville’s seat is OPEN on the 2026 ballot — Barry Moore (R) vs. Everett Wess (D). Katie Britt is next up in 2028.
Learn more
- Alabama Votes (SOS) — official registration, ID, and absentee info.
- Greater Birmingham Ministries — voting-rights and rights-restoration help.
- League of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham — nonpartisan guides.
- VoteRiders — free help getting a voter ID.
Always confirm dates and locations with the Alabama SOS and Jefferson County — rules and deadlines can change between elections.