Elections Today in Alabama: Polls Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

elections today are underway in Alabama on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, with polls open statewide from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Voters in line by 7 p.m. are legally allowed to vote.

The ballot will decide each party’s nominees for November’s general election, and in many races the primary could effectively settle the officeholder before fall. Alabama voters must show a valid photo ID at the polls.

Alabama open primary rules

Alabama uses an open primary system, so voters do not register by party. On Election Day, they may choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot, but they may vote in only one party’s primary.

If a runoff becomes necessary, voters must stay with the same party they chose in the primary unless they did not take part in either party’s primary. Candidates must receive more than 50% of the vote to avoid that runoff, and if no one reaches that mark, the top two candidates advance.

Governor and Senate races

The governor’s race tops the statewide ballot, while the Senate seat currently held by Tuberville features one of the most crowded Republican fields in Alabama this year. Contested races are also on the ballot for Public Service Commission Place 1 and Place 2.

Several crowded statewide races could be headed toward runoffs, which makes the vote count on Tuesday the first test of whether any candidate can clear the more than 50% threshold. That is especially important for voters in closely watched races, where the primary may decide who advances and where a runoff could reset the contest.

May 19, 2026 ballots

The immediate step for voters is simple: go to the polls by 7 p.m. with a valid photo ID and choose one party’s ballot. The result will set the nominees for November, and in races that do not produce a majority winner, Alabama will move to a runoff between the top two finishers.