Alabama’s special congressional primary elections 2026: Live updates

Alabama voters across four U.S. House districts are heading to the polls today for a high-stakes, rare special primary election. With the political landscape shifted following a recent Supreme Court ruling regarding district maps, voters in Districts 1, 2, 6, and 7 are determining who will represent their respective parties in the November 3 general election.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters are encouraged to check their designated polling place and review sample ballots ahead of time. Please note that a valid photo ID is required to cast a ballot, as outlined by the Alabama Secretary of State’s office.

A Unique Election Season

This election comes after a turbulent period in Alabama politics. Following a Supreme Court decision in April impacting Louisiana's majority-Black districts, Alabama officials moved to redraw the state's House maps. Gov. Kay Ivey called a special legislative session, which was met with protests, to adjust the map mid-season. In June, the Supreme Court ultimately allowed the use of the new GOP-favored district map, leading the Legislature to void the results of the May 19 primary and order this new special primary.

Notably, this contest marks an unprecedented moment in state history: it is the first time Alabama has held a congressional primary with no runoff provision. Regardless of whether a candidate achieves a majority, the top vote-getters today will secure their party's nomination for November. While Reps. Shomari Figures (District 2) and Terri Sewell (District 7) face no primary challengers, Republicans are aggressively looking to reclaim the District 2 seat.

Live Election Updates

2:01 p.m. Turnout remains a major talking point. There has been speculation regarding whether Democrats might cross over to vote in the open GOP primary to influence the outcome against Shomari Figures, a strategy urged by former Democratic vice chair Tabitha Isner. The state Republican Party continues to advocate for closed primaries to prevent such occurrences, though legislation to implement that change failed earlier this year.

1:53 p.m. ALGOP chairman Scott Stadthagen is pushing for a massive turnout. In a social media post, Stadthagen encouraged Republicans to show up in record numbers to "pick our gladiators" for the November general election.

11:50 a.m. Voter participation is expected to be light today. Historically, turnout for Alabama elections has seen a downward trend, with only 23.11% of registered voters casting ballots in the May statewide primary. However, interest remains high as both parties look toward the general election.

9:17 a.m. Rep. Rhett Marques, a candidate in the District 2 primary, voted at the Enterprise YMCA this morning. "Today, Alabamians have the choice to send President Trump and Senator Britt the proven conservative they want fighting alongside them," Marques said in a statement.

7:36 a.m. Shomari Figures is campaigning on his track record in the district, asserting that he has already represented the majority of the newly drawn area. As voters cast their ballots, the focus remains on whether the GOP can successfully target the seat he won in 2024.