Muscle Shoals, Alabama Public Records

Public safety in Muscle Shoals is primarily the responsibility of the Muscle Shoals Police Department. This local law enforcement agency is tasked with maintaining order, responding to emergencies, and investigating criminal activities within the city's 35674, 35661, and 35662 ZIP codes. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) also provides additional resources, including the state's Missing Person and Children database at https://app.alea.gov/Community/wfSearch.aspx, as well as the Sex Offender Registry at https://www.alea.gov/sor.

Muscle Shoals voters are served by the Colbert County Probate Office, which administers elections from 201 N Main Street, Tuscumbia, AL 35674 (phone: 256-386-8511, website: colbertcounty.alabama.gov). The Probate Judge serves as the county's chief elections official responsible for voter registration, polling place assignments, ballot preparation, and election administration. Alabama residents can register to vote online through the Alabama Secretary of State's website at alabamainteractive.org/sos/voter_registration, which requires a valid Alabama driver's license or non-driver ID card. The voter registration deadline is 15 days before any election. Registration can also be completed in person at the Probate Office or by mail using the National Mail Voter Registration Form. Voters must be U.S. citizens, Alabama residents, at least 18 years old by election day, and not disqualified by felony conviction (unless rights restored) or mental incapacity. Muscle Shoals conducts municipal elections for mayor and city council positions; the city operates under a council-manager government with a five-member city council and separately elected mayor serving four-year terms. Municipal elections are typically held in August with potential runoffs in October, though specific election years vary by position. The next Muscle Shoals municipal election cycle information can be obtained from City Hall at 256-389-2440. Muscle Shoals residents can find their assigned polling place by using the Alabama Secretary of State's voter information lookup at myinfo.alabamavotes.gov, which requires entering name and date of birth or using the voter ID number from registration cards. Election records in Alabama that are publicly accessible include voter registration lists (available with restrictions under Alabama Code § 17-4-3), campaign finance reports for state and local candidates through the Alabama Secretary of State's Campaign Finance portal, candidate qualifying information, and precinct-level election results published after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Colbert County recorded approximately 65-70% voter turnout with around 32,000 total votes cast out of approximately 38,000 registered voters; the county historically trends Republican in most elections. For the November 3, 2026 general election, Muscle Shoals and Colbert County voters will decide races including the Alabama Governor's race (Kay Ivey's current term expires in January 2027), all seven of Alabama's U.S. House seats (Muscle Shoals is in the 4th Congressional District currently represented by Robert Aderholt), various state legislature seats including Alabama House District 3 and Alabama Senate District 6 which cover portions of Colbert County, county offices including Sheriff, Revenue Commissioner, Circuit Clerk, District Judge, and Board of Education positions, and potentially local ballot measures or municipal races if scheduled concurrently. U.S. Senate seats for Alabama are not up in 2026 (next scheduled for 2028). Alabama voters can request absentee ballots through written application to the Absentee Election Manager at the Colbert County Probate Office; applications are available at alabamavotes.gov and must be submitted with specific excuse reasons as Alabama does not have no-excuse absentee voting. Valid excuses include being out of the county on election day, illness or physical disability, working a required shift, election official duties, age 65 or older, or caring for an incapacitated family member. Absentee ballot applications must include a copy of valid photo ID unless the voter is 65 or older or has previously provided ID. Emergency absentee voting is available up to five days before the election for voters who become ill after the regular absentee deadline.