With the 2020 General Election less than seven days away, now is crunch time for making your voting plan.

October 29 is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot and to vote absentee in-person. However, you may be one of the many voters who have not received your absentee ballot yet. 

It can be a nerve-wracking feeling, but please be assured that you still can vote in-person in the General Election on November 3 if you (1) haven’t yet received your absentee ballot, (2) did not return your absentee ballot in person or by mail, or (3) your ballot has not been received by your election official by noon on November 3, even though you mailed it in.

You’ll have to vote with a provisional ballot if you’ve already requested an absentee ballot, but this will be counted as a regular vote once election officials verify your voter status and confirm that your absentee ballot was not returned.

A provisional ballot is the same as a regular ballot, except a voter must:

  1. Sign an oath attesting to his or her eligibility to vote.
  2. Fill out a voter update form.

After you’ve voted, you should also check the status of your provisional ballot online by visiting alabamavotes.gov. In some cases, you may need to follow up with your county clerk to provide additional information before it is counted.

For other questions about your absentee ballot, your voting rights, or other concerns about the election, call or text 866-OUR-VOTE. Trained volunteers are available to help.

For additional voter education, you can also visit our 2020 Voter Guide where you can learn about the ACLU of Alabama’s stance on ballot measures.

Photo Credit: Alex Perz