Absentee Ballots Fall in Rural Alabama Counties

Absentee voting shifted sharply between rural and metro Alabama counties compared with 2018, according to ballot counts.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single oxblood ballot box on a cream field, divided by a thin teal band, suggesting a rural-metro split. — Absentee ballots in Walker, Chilton, and Winston counties fell 47% from 2018, while Madison, Mobile, and Shelby counties rose 13%, ballot counts show. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Absentee ballots in Walker, Chilton, and Winston counties are down 47% from 2018, while Madison, Mobile, and Shelby counties are up 13%. Republican gubernatorial primary votes totaled 493,376 in 2026, down 25% from 2022.

Why it matters

The divergence between rural and metro absentee voting shows how turnout patterns are shifting across Alabama's counties ahead of Election Day. Changes in how voters cast ballots could affect the statewide outcome.

Madison County absentee ballots rose from 5,148 to 6,854 since 2018, a 33% increase, while Walker County fell from 572 to 290. The 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary drew 364,635 votes, and the causes of the county-level shifts remain unexplained in the data.

The details

Alabama has no early in-person voting, so most voters will cast ballots on Election Day. In-person absentee ballots had to be hand-delivered by close of business Monday, and mailed absentee ballots must arrive by noon on Election Day.

• 2018: Baseline year for absentee and Republican primary comparisons
• 2022: High-turnout Republican primary for governor
• Monday before Election Day: Deadline for hand-delivering in-person absentee ballots
• Nov. 3, 2026: Election Day; polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Seasonal Patterns

Measured against the 2018 baseline, absentee ballot volume has diverged sharply between rural Walker, Chilton, and Winston counties and metro Madison, Mobile, and Shelby counties. The 2026 Republican primary total also sits 16% below its 2018 level, placing this cycle's turnout pattern in contrast to the 2022 high.

Alabama voters who cast absentee ballots must have them hand-delivered by Monday for in-person returns or mailed so they arrive by noon on Election Day. Voters without absentee ballots will need to vote in person on Election Day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.