Mail-in absentee ballot applications for the Nov. 3 general election must reach the county absentee election manager by Tuesday, Oct. 27, Secretary of State Wes Allen said in a release Oct. 8. The deadline to return an application in person is Thursday, Oct. 29.
Absentee ballots returned in person are due by close of business Monday, Nov. 2, the day before the election. Ballots returned by mail must arrive by noon on Election Day, Nov. 3.
The release recommends mailing applications and ballots at least two weeks before those deadlines.
Voters must have a qualifying reason under state law to vote absentee and must give that reason on the application, according to the release. A valid photo ID is required to request an absentee ballot, the same as at the polls. Applications can be downloaded at AlabamaVotes.gov. The list of qualifying reasons is on the Secretary of State’s website, sos.alabama.gov.