What voters need to know about Alabama’s Aug. 11 special congressional primary election
Voters in 14 counties are in a different district than they were for the May primary.
Ryan Cooper 
Alabama voters are heading back to the polls this summer following a major shakeup in the state's electoral map. After state lawmakers and federal courts adjusted district boundaries and voided results from the previous election, a special primary is officially set for August 11. This crucial contest will determine the nominees for four of Alabama's seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
What You Need to Know About the Map
The shifts affect 40 of Alabama's 67 counties, with voters in 14 of those counties finding themselves in different districts than they were during the May primary. The U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for this special election by ruling that the state could utilize a new, Republican-favored congressional map, effectively reversing an earlier decision that the map violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the influence of Black voters. Districts 3, 4, and 5 remain unchanged.
The Races at a Glance
There are five distinct races on the ballot across Districts 1, 2, 6, and 7. Republicans are fielding candidates in all four districts, while Democrats have one contested race. The top vote-getters in each race will secure their spot for the November 3 general election, regardless of whether they achieve an absolute majority.
District 1
Candidates include Lucas Burger, Jerry Carl, John Mills, and Austin Sidwell.
District 2
The field features Hampton Harris, Christian Horn, Rhett Marques, David Matthews, Joshua McKee, and James Richardson.
District 6
Voters will choose between U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer and Case Dixon, along with a secondary field including Jacob Bouma-Sims, Ashtyn Kennedy, Maurice Mercer, and Keith Pilkington.
District 7
The ballot includes Ammie Akin and David W. Perry.
Voter Participation and Logistics
All registered voters within the four impacted districts are eligible to participate, and they may choose to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary. Polling locations remain unchanged for this special election.
Voters can confirm their current congressional district assignment by visiting the Secretary of State website. For those who cannot make it to the polls on election day, absentee voting is already underway, having commenced on June 17. Eligible citizens can apply for a ballot online. Additionally, the final deadline to register to vote for this election is July 27.
For specific questions regarding your polling place or registration status, reach out to your county board of registrars.
