Florence, Alabama Public Records

Alabama residents can register to vote online at www.alabamainteractive.org/sos/voter_registration, by mail using a form available from the Probate Office or downloadable from the Secretary of State's website, or in person at the Probate Office. Registration must be completed 15 days before any election. Voters provide their Alabama driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Photo ID is required at the polls, including Alabama driver's licenses, state ID cards, federal or state government employee IDs, student IDs from Alabama public colleges, or U.S. Passports. Municipal elections in Florence cover the mayor and city council seats. The city has a seven-member council elected from single-member districts, plus a mayor elected citywide. These elections follow regular municipal cycles according to state law, typically in August with runoffs if needed. The next municipal election is scheduled for August 2024, with the mayor and all council seats on the ballot. Information about local candidates and ballot measures is available through the City Clerk's office at Florence City Hall, (256) 760-6400, and the Lauderdale County Probate Office. Residents can find their assigned polling location by visiting the Alabama Secretary of State's website at www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/polling-locations or by calling the Lauderdale County Probate Office. Polling places are determined by registration address and precinct boundaries. Public election records in Alabama include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes), campaign finance reports filed with the Secretary of State (searchable at www.fcpa.alabamavotes.gov), candidate qualification documents, and precinct-level results. The Alabama Secretary of State's website at www.sos.alabama.gov provides statewide election results, while the Probate Office publishes county and local outcomes. In the November 2024 presidential election, Lauderdale County reported voter turnout of approximately 58-62% of registered voters, with over 30,000 ballots cast. The county favored Republican candidates in most statewide races, consistent with historical voting patterns in northwest Alabama. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature several significant races for voters in the area. Alabama's gubernatorial election will be held, as Governor Kay Ivey's current term expires in 2027 (note: Alabama gubernatorial elections are in midterm years). All seven Alabama U.S. House seats will be on the ballot, with the city located in Alabama's 4th Congressional District. All state legislature seats are up in 2026, including local state senate and house representatives. Lauderdale County offices including Sheriff, Revenue Commissioner, and County Commission seats may also be contested depending on term schedules. Alabama does not have a U.S. Senate race scheduled for 2026; the next Alabama Senate race is in 2028. Alabama voters can request absentee ballots through the Secretary of State's online portal at www.alabamainteractive.org/sos/absentee or by submitting a paper application to the Lauderdale County Absentee Election Manager at the Probate Office, 200 South Court Street, Florence, AL 35630. Applications must be received by the Thursday before the election (for mailed ballots) or voters can apply in person until the day before the election. Valid excuses for absentee voting include age 65+, illness or disability, absence from county on election day, working a required shift, or being a student outside Lauderdale County. Alabama offers no-excuse absentee voting for voters who are ill, physically incapacitated, or have a work requirement that would prevent voting in person.