Alabama’s state motto is “Audemus jura nostra defendere,” or, to use the official state language, “We dare defend our rights.”
One of those hard-fought rights is the right to vote. Many Alabamians risk losing the chance to exercise that right in the Nov. 6 general election. For those who have not registered to vote, time is running out.

Monday, Oct. 22 is the deadline to register to vote on Election Day. Alabamians can register in person by the close of business at their county Board of Registrars office (typically 5 p.m.), online by 11:59 p.m. that day, or through the mail if their registration is postmarked by Oct. 22, according to the secretary of state’s office.

To register online, visit Alabama Online Voter Registration at the Alabama secretary of state’s website. You can also print the application and mail it to your county Board of Registrars.

If you’re not sure whether you are registered to vote, you can check your status at Online Registration Verification.

To find where you vote, visit Polling Place Locator.

To see sample ballots for your county, go to Sample Ballots.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the general election is Thursday, Nov. 1. Absentee ballots must be mailed or hand-delivered to your respective county’s absentee ballot manager. Those ballots must be returned by Monday, Nov. 5. You can learn more about absentee voting in Alabama here.

Secretary of State John Merrill reminds voters that Alabama’s new crossover voting law does not apply to a general election. All registered voters in Alabama can vote for the candidate of their choice.

Polls across the state open on Nov. 6 at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. You must have a valid form of photo identification to cast a ballot. These include a valid driver license, a nondriver ID, a current U.S. passport, or a military, federal- or state-issued ID, among others. Learn more about valid forms of photo ID here or by contacting your county Board of Registrars office.