Democratic Party primaries in Alabama, 2020

Elections in Alabama, 2020

• Primary date: March 3
• Primary type: Open
• Registration deadline(s): Feb. 14 (hand-delivered); Feb. 15 (postmarked); Feb. 17 (online)
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No

• Early voting starts: N/A
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): March 2 (postmarked); March 3 (received)
• Voter ID: Photo ID
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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Date of Alabama presidential primary: March 3

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On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State executive offices • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • 

2022 → ← 2018

Democratic Party primaries, 2020

Primary Date

March 3, 2020

Primary Runoff Date

March 31, 2020

Federal elections

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate

Democratic primaries for U.S. House

State party

Democratic Party of Alabama

State political party revenue

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Alabama on March 3, 2020. Click here for more information about the Republican primaries.

Note that the dates and terms of participation for presidential preference primaries and caucuses sometimes differ from those that apply to primaries for state-level and other federal offices, which are the subject of this article. For more information on this state's presidential nomination process, click here.

Federal elections

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in Alabama, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)

The 2020 U.S. Senate elections in Alabama took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected one candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate.

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Doug Jones (Incumbent) ✔

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Alabama, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primaries)

The 2020 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Alabama took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected seven candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts.

District 1

 Democratic primary candidates

• James Averhart ✔ 
• Frederick Collins 
• Kiani Gardner ✔

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 2

 Democratic primary candidates

• Phyllis Harvey-Hall ✔
• Nathan Mathis 

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 3

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Adia Winfrey ✔

Did not make the ballot:

• Hannah Thompson

District 4

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Rick Neighbors ✔

District 5

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

District 6

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

District 7

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Terri Sewell (Incumbent) ✔

Did not make the ballot:

• Camron Devin Stokes

State elections

State executive offices

See also: Alabama state executive official elections, 2020

Five state executive offices are up for election in Alabama in 2020: public service commissioner (one seat) and state Board of Education (four seats). To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primaries, click "Show more" below.

Show more

Public service commissioner

See also: Alabama Public Service Commission election, 2020

 Democratic primary candidates

• Laura Casey ✔
• Robert Mardis III

State Board of Education

See also: Alabama State Board of Education election, 2020

District 1

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Tom Holmes ✔

District 3

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Jarralynne Agee ✔

District 5

 Democratic primary candidates

• Fred F. Bell ✔
• Ron Davis
• Pamela Laffitte
• Patrice McClammy
• Woodie Pugh Jr.
• Joanne Shum
• Tonya Smith Chestnut ✔
• Billie Jean Young

Did not make the ballot:

• Phillip Ensler
• Robert White II

District 7

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

State supreme court

See also: Alabama Supreme Court elections, 2020

The terms of two Alabama Supreme Court justices expired on January 17, 2021.

Candidates and results

Place 1

General election candidates

• Greg Shaw  (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

 Republican primary candidates

• Greg Shaw (Incumbent) ✔
• Cam Ward

Did not make the ballot:

• Bryan Taylor

Place 2

General election candidates

• Brad Mendheim  (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

 Republican primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Brad Mendheim (Incumbent) ✔

Note: Because incumbent Brad Mendheim was the only candidate to file for election, the primaries were canceled and he automatically advanced to the general election.

Intermediate appellate courts

See also: Alabama intermediate appellate court elections, 2020

The terms of two Alabama Court of Civil Appeals justices and two Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals justices expired on January 17, 2021.

This is a list of the justices who had to stand for partisan election in 2020 in order to remain on the bench. Justices could choose not to stand for election.

Candidates and election results

Place 1

General election candidates

• William Thompson  (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

 Republican primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• William Thompson (Incumbent) ✔

Note: Because incumbent William Thompson was the only candidate to file for election, the primaries were canceled and he automatically advanced to the general election.

Place 2

General election candidates

• Matt Fridy  (Republican Party) ✔

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

 Republican primary candidates

• Phillip Bahakel
• Matt Fridy ✔

Judges not on the ballot

• Scott Donaldson (Place 2)
  

Candidates and results

Place 1

General election candidates

• Mary Becker Windom  (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

 Republican primary candidates

• Mary Becker Windom (Incumbent) ✔
• Melvin Hasting

Place 2

General election candidates

• J. Elizabeth Kellum  (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

 Republican primary runoff candidates

• J. Elizabeth Kellum (Incumbent) ✔
• Will Smith 

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

 Republican primary candidates

• J. Elizabeth Kellum (Incumbent) ✔
• Jill Ganus
• Will Smith ✔ 

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

Context of the 2020 elections

Alabama Party Control: 1992-2026
Six years of Democratic trifectas  •  Sixteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26
Governor	R	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

State party overview

See also: Democratic Party of Alabama

Party control in Alabama
Governor	Republican
Senate	Republican
House	Republican

Click here for party control in all 50 states

Alabama has a Republican trifecta and a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and both chambers of the state legislature.

State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic state party affiliates.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Alabama uses an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Alabama, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. According to state law, "All polling places in areas operating on eastern time shall open and close under this section pursuant to eastern time except the county commissions in Chambers County and Lee County may by resolution provide for any polling place to be excluded from this sentence and to be open according to central time." Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

Alabama requires that an applicant be a citizen of the United States who resides in Alabama. A voter must be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. A citizen cannot have been barred from registering due to a felony conviction and cannot have been declared mentally incompetent by a court.

Voters cannot register during the 14 days preceding an election. According to the Alabama Secretary of State's website:

“

You may download the State of Alabama Postcard Voter Registration Application from this site. The form can be printed on your printer, filled out, and then mailed into your local voter registration officials. Click here for more information. You may also request a postcard voter registration from this office by e-mail. Click here to request a voter registration form. Voter registration is also available from your local County Board of Registrars. Click here to get the address and phone number for the board of registrars office in your county. You may also obtain voter registration services at the following state and local government offices and agencies: Driver's licensing office County and select municipal public libraries Department of Human Resources WIC Program, Department of Public Health Medicaid Agency Department of Rehabilitation Services The postcard voter registration form is also available at: Public 4-year universities Select private 4-year universities Driver's licensing office County and select municipal public libraries Department of Human Resources WIC Program, Department of Public Health Medicaid Agency Department of Rehabilitation Services

”

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Alabama does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Alabama has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Alabama does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Alabama, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

An Alabama state law, passed in 2011, requires people to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. However, as of February 2026, the law had not been implemented.

An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Eight states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Three states, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Alabama Secretary of State's Voter View website allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Alabama requires voters to present photo identification at the polls. The following list of accepted forms of identification was current as of November 2025. Click here for the most current information, sourced directly from the Office of the Alabama Secretary of State.

“

Valid Alabama Driver’s License (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days) Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Digital Driver’s License Valid Alabama Nondriver ID (not expired or has been expired less than 60 days) Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Digital Nondriver ID Valid Alabama Photo Voter ID Card Valid State-Issued ID (Alabama or any other state) Examples Valid AL Department of Corrections Release - Temporary ID (Photo Required) Valid AL Movement/Booking Sheet from Prison/Jail System (Photo Required) Valid Pistol Permit (Photo Required) Valid Federal-Issued ID Valid US passport Valid Employee ID from Federal Government, State of Alabama, County, Municipality, Board, or other entity of this state Valid student or employee ID from a public or private college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools) Digital student ID from a public or private college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools) Valid student or employee ID issued by a state institution of higher learning in any other state Digital student ID issued by a state institution of higher learning in any other state Valid Military ID Valid Tribal ID

”

To view Alabama statute pertaining to voter identification, click here.

A voter can obtain a free identification card from the Alabama Secretary of State, a county registrar's office, or a mobile location. The mobile location schedule can be accessed here.

Early voting

Alabama does not permit early voting.

Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

A voter is eligible to vote absentee/mail-in in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:

• The voter will be absent from the county on Election Day.
• The voter is ill or has a disability that prevents a trip to the polling place.
• The voter is physically incapacitated and cannot access their polling place due to a life-altering disorder that affects their ability to perform manual tasks, stand for any length of time, walk unassisted, see, hear, or speak. The voter must also be 65 years of age or older or have a disability.
• The voter is a registered voter living outside the county, such as a member of the armed forces, a voter employed outside the United States, a college student, or a spouse or child of such a person.
• The voter is an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than his or her regular polling place.
• The voter works a required shift of 10 hours or more that coincides with polling hours.
• The voter is a caregiver to a family member to the second degree of kinship who is confined to their home.
• The voter is incarcerated and has not been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.

Absentee/mail-in ballot application must be received by the seventh day prior to the election if delivered by mail, and by the fifth day before an election if delivered by hand.

In the following circumstances, the deadline to apply for an absentee/mail-in ballot is 5 p.m. the day before the election:

• The voter is required by an employer under unforeseen circumstances to be out of the county on Election Day for an emergency business trip.
• The voter is a caregiver of a person who requires emergency treatment by a licensed physician within five days before an election.
• The voter has a family member to the second degree of kinship by affinity or consanguinity die within five days before an election.

Alabama also provides for medical emergency absentee/mail-in voting for a voter who has a medical emergency requiring treatment from a licensed physician within 5 days of an election. A voted medical emergency absentee/mail-in ballot must be returned no later than noon on election day.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states. No counties in Alabama are Pivot Counties.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Alabama with 62.1 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 34.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Alabama voted Democratic 53.33 percent of the time and Republican 40 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Alabama voted Republican all five times.

See also

2020 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

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