Voter Registration
Every state has its own election laws, so check your state’s policies at vote.gov. To register to vote in the State of Alabama, you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States.
- Live in Alabama.
- Be at least 18 years of age on or before election day.
- Not have been convicted of a disqualifying felony, or if you have been convicted, you must have had your voting rights restored.
- Not have been declared “mentally incompetent” by a court.
Registration is fast, free, and easy. Because each state has a different process, we recommend using TurboVote, an online tool provided by UA to help students register to vote in any state. TurboVote can also help you start the absentee ballot request process and give you reminders before upcoming elections in your area. You can also register to vote by mail, at your local DMV, an armed forces recruitment center, and some state and county public assistance offices. You may need a photo ID or social security card to register.
You can only be registered to vote in one place, but you can decide whether you want to register in Tuscaloosa or in your home state or county. Even if you only live in Tuscaloosa during the academic year or live in the residence halls, you are eligible to vote in Alabama. If you are already registered to vote and register in Tuscaloosa, you will no longer be registered in your home county. Your choice will not affect your residency status for any purposes other than voting. If you are changing your registration from one state to another, just register in the new state.
Use your campus mail stop code (MSC) as your mailing address and your residence hall address as your residential address. Your mail stop code address can be found under the “Campus Services” tab in myBama and will look something like this:
MSC #xxxxxx
1831 University Station
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Your residence hall address can be found in the image below. Remember that your residence hall address cannot be used to receive mail and your mail stop code cannot be used as a residential address.
Casting Your Vote
Sign up for election reminders from ua.turbovote.org to check your polling place and state's election procedures before you head to the polls. Bring a writing utensil and a photo ID if you are registered in a state with a voter ID law.
Some states, including Alabama, require you to bring a valid photo ID or voter registration card to the polls when you go to vote. Find your state's policy at vote.gov. In Alabama, you can use your digital or physical student ACT card as a valid form of identification at the polls.
Every state has its own process, so check vote.gov to learn your state's laws. In Alabama, you can request an absentee ballot if you:
- Expect to be absent from the county on election day;
- Are ill or have a physical infirmity that prevents a trip to the polling place;
- Are a registered Alabama voter living outside the county including but not limited to members of the armed forces or a spouse or dependent of such a person, or a U.S. citizen residing overseas or students at an educational institution located outside their county of residence;
- Are an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than their regular polling place;
- Expect to work a required shift which has at least 10 hours that coincide with polling hours;
- Are a caregiver for a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity and the family member is confined to their own home; or
- Are incarcerated in prison/jail and have not been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.
To request an absentee ballot in Alabama, visit sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/absentee-ballot-application-by-county to find where to send your application and for a copy of the absentee ballot application form for each county. You will need to submit a new application for each election. Please note that when you send in your absentee ballot application, you will need to include a copy of a valid photo ID. If you are submitting your absentee ballot application by mail, it must be received by the Absentee Election Manager no later than 7 days prior to the election. You can also hand deliver your application no later than 5 days before the election.