Absentee voting in Alabama begins amid legal battle over USPS mail ballot rules

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The first absentee ballots in Alabama will be sent out on Wednesday, Sept. 9, according to the Alabama Secretary of State’s office.

The start of midterm voting kicks off amid an ongoing legal battle in Washington D.C., which could impact mail-in ballots across the country.

The only mail-in ballots that are sent out in Alabama are absentee ballots. There is a set list of what makes someone eligible to get one, such as being away at college, being an active-duty military member or being a caregiver.

Shalela Dowdy, senior field organizer with the Alabama NAACP said the organization disagrees with an executive order requiring states to supply the U.S. Postal Service with lists of mail-ballot recipients.

In March, President Trump signed the executive order, which also requires ballot envelopes to include barcodes and to comply with new USPS rules.

“Why would we try to make it harder for people to vote when being able to vote by mail provides everyone to have access to the ballot?” asked Dowdy. “If any of these things gets implemented that the administration wants to get implemented, it slows the process down even more.”

On Friday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the order, but the Trump administration quickly appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sec. of State Wes Allen, R-Alabama, provided the following statement:

Absentee ballot applications sent by mail need to be received at least a week before Election Day, and completed ballots need to be returned no later than noon on Election Day.

The midterm general election is on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

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