Voters who will be unable to go to the polling place on Nov. 4 must request an absentee ballot by today. “If a voter will be out of the county on the day of the election, has a physical illness, is in the military or is a student, is working as a poll worker or works a shift of over 10 hours or more, that voter may request and vote an absentee ballot,” Secretary of State Jim Bennett said. Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded from www.alabamavotes.gov and mailed to the Absentee Election Manager in the county where the voter is registered. (You can see that list here). A voter may also request an application by phone or receive an application from their Absentee Election Manager in person.
Voters who fit this category need to make sure to check both boxes on the application. The Nov. 4 election is the first statewide general election where the new photo voter ID law is in place. The law has brought about some changes to the absentee ballot process.
Overseas military personnel have always been exempt from showing ID with their absentee ballot and now, the new law extends that exemption to elderly and handicapped voters. Those voters are not required to place a form of ID with their absentee ballots but must check two boxes on their application. The first check will be on the actual reason for making the absentee ballot application. The second check will be in a box placed directly under that reason for absentee application which speaks to the elderly and handicapped exception.
Full Article: Voter ID law changes absentee ballot process for elderly, disabled voters | AL.com.