Lisa McSwain, Absentee Election Manager
Cullman County Courthouse
500 2nd Ave. SW, Room #303
Cullman, AL 35055
Phone: 256-775-4654

Qualifications to Vote Absentee:

1. Any qualified elector may vote an absentee ballot by mail or in person at the absentee election manager's office, Room 303 Courthouse, if he or she makes application in writing not less than five days prior to the election and meets one of the following requirements:
1. The person will be out of the county or state on Election Day.
2. The person has any physical illness or infirmity which prevents his or her attendance at the polls, whether he or she is within or without the county on the day of election.
3. The person works a shift which has at least 10 hours which coincide with the hours the polls are open at his or her regular polling place.
4. The person is enrolled as a student at an educational institution located outside the county of his or her personal residence (attendance) at which prevents his or her attendance at the polls.
5. The person is a member of, or spouse or dependent of a member of, the armed forces of the United States or is similarly qualified to vote absentee pursuant to the Federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 USC. 1973ff.
6. The person has been appointed as an election officer or named as a poll watcher at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place.
2. An applicant for an absentee ballot who is a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the Alabama National Guard, the United States Naval Reserves, the United States Air Force Reserves, and the United States Army Reserves on active duty or active duty training or an applicant who is the spouse of any member of the armed forces or any other applicant qualified to vote absentee pursuant to the Federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 USC 1973ff, may make application for an absentee ballot by filling out the federal postcard application form, authorized and provided for under the provisions of the Federal Voting Assistance Act.

EMERGENCY ABSENTEE VOTING:

Any registered elector who requires emergency treatment of a licensed physician within five days of an election may apply for an emergency absentee ballot for the election and may vote by returning the absentee ballot no later than noon on the day the election is held. The attendant physician shall describe and certify the circumstances as constituting an emergency on a special form designed by the Secretary of State and provided by his or her office to local absentee election managers. The special form shall be attached to the application.

Any registered elector whose name appears on the poll list of qualified voters may vote by an emergency absentee ballot if he or she is required by his or her employer under unforeseen circumstances to be out of the county on an emergency business trip on Election Day. Under such circumstances, the applicant shall apply for an emergency absentee ballot at the office of the absentee election manager no later than the close of the business day one day prior to the election. The applicant shall complete and file an application form designed by the Secretary of State for emergency absentee voters. The form shall contain an affidavit which the applicant shall sign or swear acknowledging that he or she was not aware of the out-of-county business requirement prior to five days before the election. An applicant who meets the requirements of this subsection may vote by an emergency absentee ballot. After voting the ballot, the voter shall hand the ballot to the absentee election manager.

Completed absentee applications must provide the Alabama residence where the voter is registered to vote, even if the ballot is to be mailed to another address where the applicant/voter regularly receives mail. If you have moved and have not updated your polling place you should contact the Cullman County Board of Registrars to update your address prior to applying for an absentee ballot. The address is 500 2nd Ave. SW, Courthouse Room 112, Cullman, AL 35055. Phone: 256-775-4750.

Applications for absentee voting are available at the absentee election manager's office, Room 303 Courthouse and the Secretary of State's web page, (www.alabamavotes.gov). Any completed application must be returned by the voter in person or sent by the US Mail. Multiple applications cannot be mailed in the same envelope.

The absentee election manager shall forward absentee ballots by US Mail to the applicants residence address or upon written request of the voter, to the address where the voter regularly receives mail or by handing the ballot to the voter in person or, in the case of medical emergency voting, to his or her designee in person.

Voter ID instructions will accompany each mailed absentee ballot and must be followed carefully to insure that your ballot is counted.

Office hours for absentee voting at the Cullman county absentee election manager's office are from:

8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-4:30pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. (The office is closed on Wednesdays & for all state and federal holidays.)