In a bid to improve voter participation, the legislature moved municipal elections to off-years in 2021 under legislation sponsored by State Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills).
Historically, municipal elections in Alabama have seen low turnout despite the high stakes involved. Two factors have historically influenced turnout: open seats and competitive races where public opinion has shifted against an incumbent, usually due to their performance negating the traditional incumbent's advantage.
“This new law will improve the current process for municipal elections and further strengthen the democratic process by moving municipal elections off the national election cycle. Municipalities are the foundation of our state’s economy, and it is imperative that citizens be actively involved in selecting their local leaders. It is our hope that through these legislative revisions, citizens will be energized to vote in their local elections,” Greg Cochran, the Alabama League of Municipalities executive director, told Yellowhammer News after the bill passed.
Some of Alabama’s largest municipalities are seeing competitive races this year. Mobile has an open mayoral race, while Birmingham and Hoover have incumbents facing strong challengers. Smaller cities around the state, including Trussville, Opelika, Homewood, and Helena, are also holding open races.
Voter turnout in Tuscaloosa's March 2025 municipal election was only 11.3% of the more than 58,681 registered voters participating, according to ABC3340.
According to the City of Mobile, in their 2021 municipal election, only 24.19% of eligible voters turned out. Only 34,254 out of the 141,631 eligible voters participated.
There were only 13,141 ballots cast in the mayor’s race during the 2020 Hoover municipal election. In the 2016 election, a total of 13,761 ballots were cast.
In 2017, when Randall Woodfin challenged incumbent Mayor William Bell, voter turnout was at nearly 27% for the 2017 municipal election, with 38,448 votes cast.
Turnout for the runoff, which also included some city council and school board races, was 30% - or about 43,000 out of 144,000 eligible Birmingham voters.
In these races, organized neighborhoods, civic groups, or churches can swing an election.
With absentee voting already underway for those eligible for the August 26 municipal elections, voting is now in progress. For more information on absentee voting in Alabama, the application can be found on the Secretary of State's website. The Alabama League of Municipalities worked with the Secretary of State's Office on a 2024 Special Report for Mayor-Council form governments that details relevant laws, statutes and guidelines for the elections.
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