Only 1 in 10 Alabama voters showed up for the primary runoff as years‑long decline continues

Alabama's electoral landscape saw a significant dip in participation this week. Tuesday’s primary runoff saw only 10.7% of the statewide electorate head to the polls, a trend that continues a multi-year decline in runoff engagement.

Across the state, just 465,320 of the 3.6 million registered voters cast ballots. High-stakes contests dominating the ballot included the Republican race for lieutenant governor, the heated battle for attorney general, and a pivotal Public Service Commission election.

Comparing the Trends

The latest numbers represent a drop from the June 21, 2022, primary runoff. That cycle reached a 12.8% turnout rate, bolstered by a high-profile Republican U.S. Senate showdown between Senator Katie Britt and former U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks.

This year’s GOP Senate runoff between U.S. Rep. Barry Moore and Jared Hudson recorded 310,758 votes, a nearly 23% decline compared to the 401,887 votes cast in the equivalent 2022 race. Meanwhile, Democrats, following a robust showing on May 19, saw their numbers slide as fewer local races filled the ballot. Their Senate runoff between Everett Wess and Dakarai Larriett accounted for 92,008 votes. Overall, Republicans maintained a 3-to-1 advantage in total ballots cast for the Senate.

County Breakdown and Regional Differences

Participation waned across most major population centers. Baldwin County checked in at 10.3%, down from 12.16% four years ago. Turnout remained under 10% in Mobile (7.34%), Montgomery (8.41%), Lee (6.62%), and Tuscaloosa (8.89%). For perspective, turnout during the May 19 primary was 23.11%.

While some late-cycle campaigning suggested a regional divide between North and South Alabama, the data shows that North Alabama's influence was not drastically disproportionate. Morgan and Marshall counties outperformed the state average with participation exceeding 14%, largely driven by hyper-local issues like revenue commissioner and school superintendent races.

Jefferson County saw 10.53% of its voters participate, while Shelby County recorded 11.4%. Both marks trailed their 2022 performance. However, select counties bucked the downward trend: Washington County saw an impressive 23.86% turnout and Walker County reached 19.99%, both fueled by competitive sheriff’s runoffs.