Columbia, Alabama Public Records

Alabama law requires voters to register at least 15 days before an election. Acceptable identification includes an Alabama driver's license, non-driver ID, photo voter ID, valid U.S. Passport, valid employee ID from federal, state, or local government, valid student ID from an Alabama educational institution, valid U.S. Military ID, or tribal ID. Because the town is unincorporated, there are no municipal elections for mayor or city council. Instead, residents vote in Houston County Commission races, Houston County Board of Education elections, and state and federal contests. County Commission elections occur on a rotating basis for the five single-member districts, with voters casting ballots for their respective district commissioner. Alabama holds statewide primary elections in May and general elections in November of even-numbered years. To locate their assigned polling place, local voters can use the Alabama Secretary of State's lookup tool at myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/VoterView by entering their name and date of birth or other identifying information. Public election records in Alabama include voter registration lists (available for purchase by qualified requesters under Alabama Code § 17-4-1), campaign finance reports filed with the Alabama Secretary of State's office and searchable at fcpa.alabamavotes.gov, candidate qualifying information, and precinct-level election results posted by the Houston County Probate Judge's office and the Alabama Secretary of State at www.sos.alabama.gov/elections. In the November 2024 presidential election, Houston County reported voter turnout of approximately 48-52% of registered voters, with the county voting heavily Republican consistent with regional patterns. The November 3, 2026 election will feature Alabama's gubernatorial race (Governor Kay Ivey's term expires in 2027, meaning the 2026 election will determine her successor or reelection), all seven of Alabama's U.S. House of Representatives seats including the district representing the county (currently Alabama's 2nd Congressional District), all 35 Alabama State Senate seats, all 105 Alabama House of Representatives seats (Columbia is in State Senate District 28 and State House District 93), and various Houston County offices potentially including Circuit Judge, District Judge, Sheriff, Revenue Commissioner, Coroner, and County Commission seats depending on term cycles. Alabama does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026 (next contests are 2026 and 2028 cycles for the two seats). To request an absentee ballot, voters must complete an absentee ballot application available at www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/absentee-voting and submit it to the Houston County Absentee Election Manager at 446 North Oates Street, Suite B, Dothan, AL 36303. The state accepts absentee voting for specific reasons including being out of the county on election day, illness or physical disability, working required hours that prevent voting, serving as an election official or poll worker in another precinct, or being a military or overseas voter. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the Thursday before the election (5 days prior), and completed ballots must arrive by noon on election day.