GULF SHORES, Ala. — Voters in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley and the rest of South Baldwin County will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, to choose a new governor, a member of Congress, state legislators and local officials, and to decide a slate of proposed constitutional amendments. This South Baldwin Election Day guide covers when the polls are open, where to vote and what to expect on the ballot.
The 2026 general election is a midterm, meaning there is no presidential race at the top of the ticket. Instead, the offices on the ballot are the ones that most directly shape day-to-day life in coastal Alabama, from state road funding and school policy to county zoning, beach management and emergency services.
Election Day at a glance
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Poll hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at every polling place in Alabama
- Where to vote: Your assigned precinct polling place only
- What to bring: A valid photo ID
- Look-up tools: The Alabama Secretary of State’s office offers online tools to confirm your polling place and view a sample ballot.
Alabama does not offer early in-person voting, so for most residents Tuesday is the day to cast a ballot. Voters who are in line when polls close at 7 p.m. should stay in line; they will be allowed to vote.
South Baldwin polling places
Polling places are assigned by precinct, and voters must cast their ballots at the location assigned to them. The following are key polling sites in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley.
Gulf Shores
- Precinct 39: Erie H. Meyer Civic Center, 1930 West 2nd Street, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
- Precinct 48: Gulf Shores Cultural Center, 19470 Oak Road West, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
- Precinct 40: Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department No. 1, 12105 State Highway 180 West, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
- Precinct 60: Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church, 308 East 22nd Avenue, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Orange Beach
- Precinct 41: Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf, 4671 Wharf Parkway West, Orange Beach, AL 36561
- Precinct 51 (Ono Island area): The Harriett Cockrell Center, 31692 Dolphin Drive, Orange Beach, AL 36561
Foley
- Precinct 38: Foley Civic Center, 407 East Laurel Avenue, Foley, AL 36535
- Precinct 3: St. Margaret of Scotland Parish Church, 601 West Laurel Avenue, Foley, AL 36535
- Precinct 33: Graham Creek Interpretive Center, 23030 Wolf Bay Drive, Foley, AL 36535
- Precinct 47: Foley United Methodist Church, 915 North Pine Street, Foley, AL 36535
This list is not a complete directory of every precinct in South Baldwin. Voters who are unsure of their assignment, who have moved since the last election or who simply want to double-check before Tuesday can confirm their precinct through the Alabama Secretary of State. Sample ballots and other general election details are also available from Baldwin County election officials.
Going to the wrong location is one of the most common Election Day problems. A voter who shows up at a polling place other than the one assigned may be redirected, so checking ahead of time can save a second trip.
Bring a photo ID
Alabama law requires voters to show a valid photo ID at the polls. Acceptable forms include an Alabama driver’s license or nondriver ID card, an Alabama photo voter ID card, a U.S. passport, a government employee ID with photo, a military ID and a student or employee ID with photo from an Alabama college or university. Voters who do not have an acceptable ID may cast a provisional ballot, which election officials review after Election Day.
Voters who need a free Alabama photo voter ID card can obtain one through the Secretary of State’s office or the county Board of Registrars, though doing so before Tuesday may not be possible for everyone this close to the election.
Absentee voting deadlines
Alabama allows absentee voting only for specific reasons set out in state law, such as being out of the county on Election Day, having an illness or disability that prevents a trip to the polls, or working a required shift that covers all polling hours. The last day to apply in person for a regular absentee ballot for this election was Thursday, Oct. 29.
Voters who applied in person and took their ballot home must return it themselves, in person, by Monday, Nov. 2. Another person cannot return the ballot for them. Absentee ballots must also be properly signed and witnessed, either by two adult witnesses or by a notary public, or they risk being rejected. Voters with questions should contact the Baldwin County absentee election manager before the deadlines pass.
What’s on the ballot
Because this is a midterm year, the ballot is long. Offices up for election include:
- Statewide executive offices: Governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor and state treasurer, among others. In the governor’s race, Republican U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville faces Democrat Doug Jones, a former U.S. senator, and independent Ronald Brunette Jr. Gov. Kay Ivey is term-limited.
- Congress: Baldwin County is in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District, where Republican Jerry Carl, who represented the district from 2021 to 2025, faces Democrat Clyde Jones in the state’s only open U.S. House race. Alabama voters will also fill a U.S. Senate seat.
- Legislature: Members of the Alabama Senate and House of Representatives, who write laws on taxes, education funding and state infrastructure.
- Local offices: County commissioners, judges, school board members and other local officials who oversee zoning, roads, schools and emergency services.
Turnout in midterm elections is historically lower than in presidential years, which means each ballot cast carries more weight in deciding these races.
The four statewide amendments
In addition to candidate races, Alabama voters will decide statewide constitutional amendments, and some counties will also see local amendments that apply only to them. The four statewide measures are:
- Amendment 1, lieutenant governor: Would establish a process for electing a replacement lieutenant governor when the office becomes vacant early in a term. It would also change how certain legislative salaries are set and how legislative travel spending is approved.
- Amendment 2, school consolidation: Would establish a process for merging two or more neighboring county school systems, including an impact study, public disclosure and an opportunity for the public to protest the consolidation.
- Amendment 3, Pledge and prayer: Would require local school boards to adopt policies for reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of each school day and authorizing student-initiated, student-led prayer.
- Amendment 4, national anthem: Would require public K–12 schools to broadcast, or arrange for a performance of, the first stanza of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at least once each week during school hours.
Amendments appear on the ballot with formal legal wording that can be hard to follow on first reading. Voters can review the exact language and plain-language summaries ahead of time by looking up their sample ballot through the Secretary of State, so they are not seeing the text for the first time in the voting booth.
Tips for a smooth trip to the polls
- Confirm your precinct and polling place before Tuesday.
- Review your sample ballot, including the amendments, and consider making notes to bring with you.
- Bring an acceptable photo ID.
- Plan for lines during the morning, lunch hour and after-work rush, and allow extra time.
- If you run into a problem at the polls, ask a poll worker for help before leaving.
Results will begin coming in after polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Unofficial county results are typically posted by local election officials as precincts report, with official certification coming later.
