Voters planning to cast absentee ballots in Mobile’s August 24 municipal election can start soon: the city’s Absentee Election Office opens its doors Friday, July 30, 2021. The office is on the first floor of Government Plaza at 205 Government Street, open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Two extended-hours options are also on the calendar. In-person absentee voting will run Saturday, August 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and evening hours are set for Tuesday, August 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Those windows are designed for voters whose work schedules or other commitments make a weekday visit difficult.
The absentee office serves Mobile voters who qualify to vote by mail or in person before election day under Alabama law. Unlike the states that allow no-excuse absentee voting, Alabama requires voters to state a valid reason for casting an absentee ballot, and the application must be completed before a ballot is issued.
Mobile’s municipal election covers the city’s top offices, and the August 24 election day polls will be open at the city’s regular voting places. Voters who plan to be away from the city, who work shifts that overlap polling hours, or who meet other legal criteria can use the absentee process to make sure their votes count.
Who can vote absentee in Alabama
Alabama law lists the valid excuses for absentee voting. They include being out of the county or state on election day, illness or physical disability, working a shift that conflicts with polling hours, being a registered voter living overseas, serving as a caretaker of a family member who cannot vote in person, and a handful of other circumstances set by statute.
Voters fill out an absentee ballot application and submit it to the Absentee Election Office. Once the application is approved, the office issues a ballot, which the voter returns by mail or in person before the deadline. Applications and ballots are handled by the absentee election manager, and the process is separate from registration.
Voters should not wait until the final days to begin the process. Mail delays and the need to correct an incomplete application can cost a voter the chance to cast a ballot, so officials recommend starting as soon as the office opens — Friday, July 30 — rather than approaching the deadline.
What to bring and how the process works
Alabama requires identification for voting, and absentee ballots are no exception. Voters submitting an absentee ballot application must provide a copy of valid photo identification — such as an Alabama driver’s license, a non-driver ID, a passport or other approved photo ID — or two forms of non-photo identification as allowed under state law. First-time voters who registered by mail may face additional documentation requirements.
Once the application is on file and approved, the voter receives the ballot for the municipal election. After marking the ballot, the voter seals it in the affidavit envelope provided, completes the required information and returns it. Every part of the packet must be completed correctly; ballots that arrive without the required signatures or witness information can be rejected.
The staff at the Absentee Election Office can walk voters through the requirements in person, which is one advantage of the office’s walk-in hours at Government Plaza. Voters with questions about their registration status, precinct or eligibility for absentee voting can also get answers on site.
Government Plaza and downtown access
The Absentee Election Office’s location on the first floor of Government Plaza at 205 Government Street puts it in the heart of downtown Mobile, convenient to parking decks around the civic center area and to the city’s bus routes. Government Plaza houses city and county offices, so voters who need to handle other official business can often combine trips.
The building is accessible for voters with disabilities, and staff can assist anyone who needs help completing the paperwork. Voters are advised to bring their identification documents with them to avoid a second trip.
For voters who live outside downtown, the office’s weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. plus the two extended-hours dates — Saturday morning, August 7, and the evening of Tuesday, August 10 — give working residents several chances to participate without taking time off.
Why municipal elections matter
City elections decide the offices that have the most direct effect on daily life in Mobile: the mayor’s office and the city council, which set the city budget, public safety priorities, zoning and infrastructure spending. Turnout in municipal elections is traditionally far lower than in state and federal contests, which means each individual vote carries more weight.
Mobile’s August 24 election day polling places will be open at the regular precincts, and voters who miss the absentee process can still cast ballots in person on election day. The absentee option exists for voters who cannot make it to their precinct during the hours the polls are open.
City officials encourage voters to verify their registration and polling place ahead of time, since precinct assignments can change between elections. Registration deadlines for the municipal election fall well before election day, so residents who have recently moved within the city should confirm their information now rather than at the last minute.
The absentee calendar at a glance
Here are the key dates for Mobile voters planning to vote absentee in the August 24 municipal election. The Absentee Election Office opens Friday, July 30, 2021, at Government Plaza, 205 Government Street, on the first floor. Regular weekday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
On Saturday, August 7, the office holds special in-person absentee voting hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Tuesday, August 10, evening hours run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Both sessions are outside the normal weekday schedule, giving voters flexibility that standard office hours don’t provide.
After those dates, the office continues regular weekday hours until the absentee voting deadline, which state law sets shortly before election day. Voters should plan to have their applications submitted and ballots returned with time to spare, since postmarks and delivery windows matter for mailed ballots.
Tips for a smooth absentee experience
Election officials offer a few practical reminders for absentee voters. First, read the application carefully and answer every question; incomplete applications are the most common cause of delay. Second, make sure identification requirements are met before submitting paperwork. Third, when the ballot arrives, follow every instruction — signing the affidavit envelope, having any required witness signatures completed and sealing the ballot properly.
Voters who are unsure whether they qualify for an excuse under Alabama law can call the Absentee Election Office before making a trip downtown. Staff can explain the eligibility categories and what documentation is needed for each.
Finally, remember that absentee ballots must be returned by the deadline to be counted. Voters cutting it close should consider delivering their ballots in person to the office during its hours rather than relying on the mail in the final days before the election.
How absentee voting fits into Alabama elections
Alabama’s absentee process is administered at the county level, with the absentee election manager responsible for applications, ballot issuance and receipt of returned ballots. In a municipal election like Mobile’s, the city’s own Absentee Election Office handles that role for voters casting ballots on the city’s races.
The process exists in every Alabama county for every election, but the rules differ between general elections and municipal elections. City elections are run under state law but organized by municipal officials, which is why Mobile voters work with the city office rather than the county absentee office for the August 24 election.
Election officials emphasize that the absentee ballot process includes built-in safeguards: the affidavit envelope, witness signatures and identification requirements are all designed to verify that each ballot comes from the voter who requested it. Voters who follow the instructions carefully rarely encounter problems.
Planning around the deadlines
The stretch between the office’s July 30 opening and the election gives Mobile voters roughly three and a half weeks to complete the absentee process. The practical advice from experienced election workers is to treat the extended-hours dates — the Saturday morning session on August 7 and the Tuesday evening session on August 10 — as the easiest options for voters who cannot get downtown during business hours.
Those two sessions exist because Alabama recognizes that voters with jobs, caregiving duties or travel plans may be unable to reach the office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on a weekday. Attendance at extended-hours sessions is typically lighter than election day lines, making them an efficient option for in-person absentee voting.
Voters who begin early also leave room to fix mistakes. If an application is missing information or a returned ballot has a problem, contacting the office promptly gives staff time to explain the remedy before the deadline makes the issue moot.
More election information
The Mobile municipal election is set for Tuesday, August 24, 2021. Voters with questions about the absentee process, registration or polling places can contact the Absentee Election Office at Government Plaza, 205 Government Street, first floor, during its regular weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or during the extended sessions on August 7 and August 10.
The Gulf Coast Newsroom will provide coverage of the candidates and races on Mobile’s municipal ballot as the August 24 election approaches, along with reminders about key deadlines for absentee voters.