Bay Minette, Alabama Public Records

Alabama residents can register to vote online through the Alabama Secretary of State's website (https://www.alabamainteractive.org/sos/voter_registration) or by submitting a paper application to the Board of Registrars. Voters must register at least 15 days before an election. The state requires photo ID to vote, including Alabama driver's license, non-driver ID, U.S. Passport, employee ID from federal, state, or local government, student ID from Alabama college or university, military ID, or tribal ID. The city conducts municipal elections for mayor and city council members. Operating under a mayor-council form of government, the community elects a five-member city council from districts. Municipal elections are typically held in August (primary) and October (general) during municipal election years, which occur every four years. The next municipal election is scheduled for 2024, with the following cycle in 2028. Information about local candidates, sample ballots, and municipal election results is available through Bay Minette City Hall and the Baldwin County elections office. Voters can find their assigned polling place using the Alabama Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool (https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/VoterView) or by contacting the Board of Registrars. Alabama public records law makes certain election records accessible to the public, including voter registration lists (available for purchase from county registrars for political purposes), campaign finance disclosure reports filed with the Alabama Secretary of State (https://fcpa.alabamavotes.gov), candidate qualifying documents, precinct-level election results, and absentee ballot applications. In the November 2024 presidential election, Baldwin County reported voter turnout of approximately 67-70% of registered voters, reflecting strong Republican performance typical of Baldwin County. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature Alabama's gubernatorial race (Governor Kay Ivey's current term expires in 2027, making 2026 the election year), all seven Alabama U.S. House seats, all 35 Alabama Senate seats, all 105 Alabama House of Representatives seats, and various Baldwin County offices including county commission seats, sheriff, revenue commissioner, and other constitutional offices. U.S. Senate seats from Alabama are not up in 2026 (Senator Tommy Tuberville's term ends in 2027; Senator Katie Britt's term ends in 2029). Local ballot measures and school board positions may also appear on the 2026 ballot. Alabama offers absentee voting for voters who will be absent from the county on election day, are ill or physically disabled, work a required shift, are appointed election officers, are students or their spouses, are over 70 years of age, are eligible voters living outside the county, or have specific religious obligations. Absentee ballot applications are available online at https://www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/absentee-voting or from the Baldwin County Absentee Election Manager. Completed applications must be submitted to the Absentee Election Manager, and absentee ballots must be received by the close of polls on election day (some military and overseas ballots have extended deadlines). Alabama does not offer universal no-excuse mail voting; voters must qualify under one of the statutory reasons.