Municipal elections; runoff elections, procedures revised

New rules for Alabama city election results

Beginning June 1, 2026, Alabama cities and towns follow these rules for counting votes, declaring winners, and holding runoffs. Local governing bodies must start reviewing election returns at noon on the first Tuesday after the election. They may review returns earlier at a regular or special meeting if provisional-ballot results have arrived from the board of registrars, or no provisional votes were cast. They must count votes for each candidate and for and against each ballot question. Candidates or ballot questions receiving a majority are declared winners or approved. For a single office with multiple candidates, a majority means more than half of all votes cast for that office. For grouped offices, divide all candidate votes by the number of seats, then divide by two. Candidates must exceed that threshold; if too many qualify, those with the highest vote totals fill the available seats. When no candidate wins a majority, a runoff must take place on the fourth Tuesday after the regular election. The top two candidates advance, and whoever gets the most runoff votes wins. No runoff is held to fill the office if a candidate withdraws or dies. For a runoff tie, a majority of eligible governing-body members must choose the winner by noon the following Tuesday. If they fail, the county probate judge must decide by drawing lots by 5 p.m. that Tuesday. Candidates and any voters who choose to attend may be present. A probate judge who promoted candidates in that election is disqualified; the county's presiding circuit court judge takes over. Election certificates let winners take office when their predecessors' terms expire, as provided by law. Within 10 days of reviewing returns, the municipal clerk must send copies of each certificate to the county probate judge, Secretary of State, and Alabama League of Municipalities.