It is not available in Alabama
People in Tennessee took to the polls Wednesday for the first day of early voting ahead of the midterm elections next month.
“I came early voting because I think that that’s a good ticket to do,” said Dorothy Small of Fayetteville. She’s also running as an incumbent alderman for the city.
Another early voter, Westella Inez Massey, said, “I think that it should be that way everywhere, and the long lines, it’s unnecessary.”
People in Fayetteville can cast their ballots during business hours at the Lincoln County Election Commission office up until five days before the Nov. 8 election.
“It saves time,” said Small.
However, if you travel 30 miles south to Huntsville, voters do not have the same ease when it comes to voting ahead of the election.
“One day every two years to vote in a federal election is really difficult for a lot of people,” said Jordan Steelman, the executive director for the civic engagement group “Vote Huntsville.”
He said people want to participate in elections, but they can’t always make it to the polls on Election Day.
“People want to be engaged, and early voting is one of those tools that allows them to do that,” said Steelman.
Alabama is only one of four states that does not offer early, in-person voting for all voters. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said anyone who needs to vote ahead of Nov. 8 has the option to cast an absentee ballot.
“Just about any voter would find a way to meet one of those requirements if it was important to them to be able to vote prior to Election Day,” said Merrill.
For a full list of people eligible to vote absentee in Alabama, click here. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 24.
