Today Is The Deadline To Apply To Vote By Absentee

 ========= Old Image Removed =========1Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2020/10/absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1200;s:6:"height";i:678;s:4:"file";s:82:"2020/10/absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:19:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-336x190.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:190;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-771x436.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:436;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-768x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-550x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:550;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"web-stories-poster-portrait";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-640x678.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:678;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"web-stories-poster-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-853x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:853;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"web-stories-poster-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-640x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:26:"web-stories-publisher-logo";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-96x96.jpg";s:5:"width";i:96;s:6:"height";i:96;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:21:"web-stories-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:81:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-150x85.jpg";s:5:"width";i:150;s:6:"height";i:85;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"gb-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"gb-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1604287172895-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:34:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1200;s:6:"height";i:900;s:4:"file";s:59:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:17:"medium_large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-768x576.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:576;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-771x578.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:578;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:65:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:33:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:30:"ab-block-post-grid-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:32:"web-stories-poster-portrait-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-640x853.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:853;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:33:"web-stories-poster-landscape-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-853x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:853;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:30:"web-stories-poster-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-640x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:31:"web-stories-publisher-logo-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:65:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-96x96.jpg";s:5:"width";i:96;s:6:"height";i:96;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:26:"web-stories-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:67:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-150x113.jpg";s:5:"width";i:150;s:6:"height";i:113;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"full-1604287172895";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1200;s:6:"height";i:675;s:4:"file";s:74:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512.jpg";}s:23:"thumbnail-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"medium-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:26:"medium_large-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"large-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-icon-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:34:"wbhm-featured-square-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:32:"wbhm-featured-home-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:36:"wbhm-featured-carousel-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"post-thumbnail-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:41:"web-stories-poster-portrait-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-640x675.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:675;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:42:"web-stories-poster-landscape-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-853x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:853;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:39:"web-stories-poster-square-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:82:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-640x640.jpg";s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:40:"web-stories-publisher-logo-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:80:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-96x96.jpg";s:5:"width";i:96;s:6:"height";i:96;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:35:"web-stories-thumbnail-1604287172895";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:81:"absentee-ballot-application-10.17-Tom-Gordon-1024x768-2-e1603996158512-150x84.jpg";s:5:"width";i:150;s:6:"height";i:84;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Tom Gordon
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => BirminghamWatch
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

)
1621312076 
1603960227

In late October, people started lining up at the Jefferson County courthouse to apply for absentee ballots.

Tom Gordon, BirminghamWatch

Today is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot.

So if you have decided that absentee voting is your best option, it’s time to bite the bullet and go line up at the courthouse.

There, you can get your ballot and return it at the same time. The Alabama Secretary of State says absentee ballot applications must be received by the local absentee election manager no later than the fifth calendar day prior to the election, which is Thursday, October 29.  Ballots must be postmarked no later than Monday.

Technically, you can still go to the Secretary of State’s website and download an application for an absentee ballot. But be aware, time is short.

Many state election officials say it’s too late to return absentee ballots by mail, instead encouraging them to submit those ballots by hand or vote in person.

If you apply for or cast your ballot at the Jefferson County clerk’s offices, there are workers who can help with the paperwork, including getting the ballot witnessed and notarized. If you live and vote in the Birmingham division, go to the clerk’s office in the downtown courthouse. If you live and vote in the Bessemer division, go to the clerk’s office in the Bessemer courthouse.

Absentee voting has skyrocketed this year because Secretary of State John Merrill has approved absentee voting for any voter who has concerns about exposure to the coronavirus at the polls. On the application, you can check the box next to the line that reads: “I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls.”

So far, more than 301,000 absentee ballots have been requested with about 241,000 returned, WBHM reported. That shatters the previous record from 2012 of 89,000 absentee ballots cast.

Getting ready to vote? Find the information you need to make your decisions in the 2020 BirminghamWatch Voter Guide

 

Workers at Alabama’s Mercedes plants vote against joining a union

The workers voted 56% against the union, according to tallies released by the National Labor Relations Board, which ran the election.

Taylor Hunnicutt is championing her home state with debut album ‘Alabama Sound’

Alabama offers a diverse symphony of swampy rock, swaggering blues, murky country, and bone-rattling soul. It’s a sound singer-songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt recently reimagined on her debut album, Alabama Sound, which is out now.

UAB building among Alabama’s first to feature ‘bird safe’ glass

Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.

Researchers look into community health impact of wood pellet production in rural Mississippi

Brown University and Tougaloo College students are testing for potential air and noise pollution near the Drax wood pellet plant in Gloster, Mississippi.

Alabama coal company sued for a home explosion is delinquent on dozens of penalties

Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.

The United Auto Workers faces a key test in the South with upcoming vote at Alabama Mercedes plant

The United Auto Workers is aiming for a key victory at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama. More than 5,000 workers at the facility in Vance and nearby battery plant will vote this week on whether to join the UAW.

More BirminghamWatch Coverage