Buhl, Alabama Public Records

Registration is also available in person at the Registrar's office, any Alabama driver's license office, or by downloading and mailing a voter registration application. State law requires voters to register at least 15 days before an election to be eligible to vote in that election. Valid identification is required when voting in person, including Alabama driver's license, valid photo ID, valid U.S. Passport, government employee ID, student or employee ID from Alabama public college, or other acceptable forms listed in Alabama law. As an unincorporated community, Buhl does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council. Instead, residents participate in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama state, and federal elections. County elections include positions such as County Commissioner (Tuscaloosa County has a seven-member commission), Sheriff, Revenue Commissioner, District Attorney, Circuit Clerk, District Clerk, Probate Judge, and members of the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education. These county offices are typically elected in general elections held in even-numbered years. Local voters can find their assigned polling place by using the Alabama Secretary of State's online voter information portal at https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview, where they can enter their name and date of birth to view their registration status, polling location, and sample ballot. Polling places are assigned based on precinct boundaries corresponding to residential addresses. The Tuscaloosa County Registrar's office can also provide polling place information by phone. In Alabama, certain election records are public under state law. Voter registration lists are available for purchase by political parties, candidates, and certain other authorized users, though individual voter registration information has privacy protections. Campaign finance reports for candidates and political action committees are public records and can be searched through the Alabama Ethics Commission website at https://ethics.alabama.gov. Candidate qualifying information, including who has filed to run for office, is available from the Tuscaloosa County Probate Judge (for local offices) and the Alabama Secretary of State (for state and federal offices). Precinct-level election results are public records and are typically posted by the county Registrar after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Tuscaloosa County recorded substantial voter turnout with approximately 78,000 total votes cast for president, representing roughly 61% of Tuscaloosa County's registered voters. This turnout was consistent with presidential election patterns in Alabama, where statewide participation typically ranges from 58-65% in presidential years. Looking ahead to November 3, 2026, Buhl residents will participate in Alabama's midterm general election. The ballot will include federal races such as a U.S. House of Representatives seat (Buhl is located in Alabama's 7th Congressional District), since all 435 House seats are contested every two years. The Alabama U.S. Senate seat held by Katie Britt will not be up for election in 2026 (next up in 2028), and the seat held by Tommy Tuberville will not be up until 2026. Alabama's gubernatorial election will be held in 2026, as governors serve four-year terms and the last gubernatorial election was in 2022. State legislative races will include elections for the Alabama House of Representatives (all 105 seats elected every four years) and approximately half of the Alabama Senate (35 seats with staggered four-year terms). Tuscaloosa County offices up for election in 2026 will depend on the specific election cycle schedule, with some county positions elected in presidential years and others in gubernatorial years. Voters should check with the Tuscaloosa County Registrar's office or the Alabama Secretary of State as the election approaches for confirmed candidate lists and local ballot measures. Alabama offers absentee voting for voters who meet certain qualifications under Alabama Code § 17-11-3, including those who will be absent from the county on election day, have a physical illness or infirmity, work required hours that prevent voting, are students or military stationed outside the county, appointed election workers, or are caregivers. Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded from the Alabama Secretary of State's website or requested from the Tuscaloosa County Absentee Election Manager at 4310 8th Street, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404. Completed applications must be submitted to the Absentee Election Manager, and voters will receive their ballot by mail. Absentee ballots must be returned by mail or in person before the close of polls on election day. Alabama has specific requirements for notarization or witness signatures on absentee ballot affidavits, so voters should carefully follow all instructions provided with their ballot.