Alabama Primary elections are March 5—here’s what to know

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Primary Elections
Alabama voters go to the polls for primary elections March 5. (Pat Byington/Bham Now)

In case you have not been watching television or seen yard signs and billboards across the state, this is your reminder that Tuesday, March 5, is an election day here in Alabama.

That’s right, Primary Election Day is here, and this is what you need to know:

Election dates to know

Alabama State House
March 5 starts a season of elections for 2024 in Alabama. (“Alabama State House, Montgomery, West view 20160713 1” by DXR is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)

Here are some dates to know if you are an Alabama voter:

  • March 5: Primary Elections
  • March 26: House District 10 Special General Election
  • April 2: House District 27 Special Primary Election
  • April 16: 2024 Primary Runoff Election
  • April 30: House District 27 Special Primary Runoff Election (if needed)
  • July 16: House District 27 Special General Election
  • Aug. 27: City of Huntsville, Mountain Brook and Scottsboro Municipal Elections
  • Nov. 5: 2024 General Election

If you are not sure where your polling location is, you can find it on the Secretary of State website. Also, if you need to register to vote (it’s too late to register for the primaries, by the way) or update your voter registration, you can do so here.

What’s on the ballot for Primary Elections?

The Primary Elections will have much shorter ballots, and of course will differ by county. You can find your county’s sample ballot here.

All Alabama voters will vote for President of the United States in the party of their choice. Keep in mind that if there is a run-off in the primary, you can only vote in a run-off for the party you chose on March 5.

That said, whether you voted in the Democratic, Republican or Libertarian primary, that does not mean you have to vote for that party in November.

Amendment One will be the only statewide amendment on the ballot this year. Currently, local bills and amendments need approval — just to be put to a vote — by three-fifths of the House or Senate. This amendment would change that.

What the nation will be watching

Primary Elections
The new District 2 spans from Mobile County all the way to the Georgia line. (U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals)

Alabama’s newly drawn Congressional District 2 — which includes parts of 10 counties — will possibly have national implications, depending on who wins in November.

However, for the Primary Elections, District 2 voters will have 11 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives on the Democratic ballot, and eight candidates on the Republican ballot.

The outcome of the Alabama race, with control of the U.S. House of Representatives on the line, will be watched closely nationwide.

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Michael Seale
Michael Seale
Articles: 138