Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White


Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Record number of Alabamians registered to vote in presidential election

Record+number+of+Alabamians+registered+to+vote+in+presidential+election

A record number of Alabama voters registered to vote in the upcoming Nov. 8 election, Secretary of State John Merrill said on Monday.

While just over two million Alabamians voted in the 2012 presidential election, 3,330,802 Alabamians are registered to vote this cycle. Of those 3.3 million, Merrill said 584,252 new voters registered. According to Merrill, that is the largest number of new voters in state history.

Merrill said the rise in voter registration is due to new initiatives such as new online registration, the Electronic Registration Information Center mailing, and a new partnership with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.  

“When we took office in January of 2015, we committed to make sure every eligible citizen that is a resident of Alabama be registered to vote and have a valid photo ID,” Merrill said. “With the help of our very capable team and the people of Alabama we have made great strides to accomplish this goal, and for that I say thank you.”

In Alabama, a valid form of photo identification is necessary to vote. Valid IDs include Alabama driver’s licenses, non-driver IDs, Alabama photo voter IDs, state or federally-issued IDs, U.S. passports, employee IDs from the federal government or an entity of the state of Alabama, student or employee ID from an Alabama college or university, military ids and tribal IDs. 

If a voter needs an ID, he or she is encouraged to call the secretary of state’s office at (334) 242-7200.

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