Alabama voters went to the polls for the 2026 midterm elections, with races for governor, Congress, the Legislature, and other state and local offices on the ballot. Now that polls are closed and races are counted, follow this live blog for updates from across the state.
Check back for the latest news, results and reaction, and catch up on our election coverage so far.
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Key update1:00 PM CST
Doug Jones concedes governor's race, celebrates Democrat wins
Democrat Doug Jones conceded Alabama’s governor’s race Wednesday and congratulated Republican Tommy Tuberville. Jones called it Alabama’s closest governor’s race since 2002 and said his campaign helped lay the groundwork for Democrats to compete in future elections. He pointed to Democratic gains in the Legislature, where the party flipped two seats in each chamber.
In his statement, Jones celebrated Alabama Democratic wins, and concluded by saying, "We certainly have more work to do. But we have already begun to change Alabama. What we accomplished together gives me tremendous hope for Alabama’s future."
Doug Jones concedes, celebrates Democratic victories across AlabamaJones thanked more than 800,000 voters and described the contest as Alabama’s closest gubernatorial race since 2002.Continue reading9:10 AM CST
Alabama’s six U.S. House incumbents win reelection, Jerry Carl returns to Congress
All six Alabama members of the U.S. House who sought reelection won Tuesday, and Republican Jerry Carl won the open 1st Congressional District seat, returning to Congress after two years out of office. Alabama’s delegation will still have five Republicans and two Democrats.
In the closely watched 2nd Congressional District, U.S. Representative Shomari Figures, D-Alabama, won a second term under a redrawn map, defeating Republican Rhett Marques with 53.8 percent of the vote. Read the full results from all seven Alabama U.S. House races.
Incumbent representatives command victories in U.S. House racesAll sitting representatives kept their seats, with Alabama maintaining its 5-2, Republican-dominated House delegation.Continue readingKey update12:44 AM CST
Watch Governor-elect Tommy Tuberville's victory speech
Senator Tommy Tuberville has won Alabama's gubernatorial race. At an election night event in Auburn, Tuberville addressed supporters and declared victory. He'll be sworn in in January.
You can watch his speech in full.
Tommy Tuberville's victory speech [00:01]
Thank you. All right.
[00:04]
[Crowd noise.] You all right, A.J.? Trying to. Y’all sit down. Everybody sit down. I’m getting too old to stand up here this long.
[00:41]
What is that? Way to go, folks! We’re supposed to change that. Let my man get over and get ready. There’s a good-looking group in here tonight. Some of you passed your bedtime, by the way.
[01:06]
[Unclear shout.] I got one. I got one. Thank you. All right, we won tonight. We couldn’t be in a better place than Auburn, Alabama. Standing here, I’m reminded of what I tell my team when we won.
Tommy Tuberville raises both hands at a podium beneath a “Coach Tuberville for Governor” sign, flanked by U.S. and Alabama flags.Campaign video [01:40]
Winning is not an accident. Winning is a decision. And tonight, Alabama decided to win. I have a lot of people to thank, and I want to start with the one who has always been the first lady of my household. Suzanne. For 40 years, Suzanne’s had my back.
[02:13]
Through every season, every move, every loss, and every win. You’re the toughest, kindest, most gracious person I’ve ever known. And I’m going to tell you something right now. Alabama is about to find out what I’ve known all along. Suzanne Tuberville is going to be one heck of a first lady of Alabama.
[02:44]
[Unclear] Suzanne. Tucker and Troy, Annie and Grace, over here, I love you. You know, none of this happens without you. You guys taught me important lessons along the way in life, and that is going to help me throughout this big challenge we have in front of us.
[03:18]
And Rosie. Rosie might not understand this today, but I’m doing this for her and the next generation. Yes, sir. And my team, you worked your tails off. My God, what a team we’ve had. I’ve always said you’re only as good as the people around you.
[03:48]
And I’ve got a roster of the best five-star talent here with me since day one. They’re some of the hardest-working patriots I’ve ever been around. People who love this state, love this country, and I’m honored to have them with me for this journey. This is only possible because of this staff.
[04:18]
Tonight’s victory is because you love Alabama and love United States of America. In the face of blue waves, which we’ve had tonight, unfortunately, this staff has stood up to the pressure and said, not in my Alabama. And I guarantee you this, I and we will not let you down. And to the folks who didn’t vote for me, listen.
[04:48]
I’m going to be your governor too. And a lot of you didn’t vote for me. I don’t understand why. But honestly, at this point, I don’t care who you voted for. Because we have to work and a lot of work to do. And my goal isn’t just to help one group. It’s to help all. My goal is to help everyone who wants to be part of a championship team.
[05:18]
Thank you. I only care whether you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and help make Alabama better. That’s what matters now. Six years in the United States Senate has been an honor of my lifetime to represent you. But I’ve got to tell you something. I’m not going to miss one damn bit of that kind of thing.
[05:48]
They deserve what they got tonight. I’m telling you. I’m ready to come home and go to work for the people of this great state. Folks, I’ve spent 40 years coaching football, and I’ve learned something a long time ago. Sometimes you take over a team that’s in trouble. You’ve got to rebuild the whole thing. but sometimes you take over a pretty good football team.
[06:21]
Good players, good coaches, and a proud tradition. They’ve won some games. They’ve done some good things. And your job isn’t to tear it down. Your job is to take what’s good and make it great. That’s where Alabama is tonight. We’ve got a great state. We’ve got good people.
[06:53]
We’ve got good leadership that has accomplished a whole lot. Governor Kay Ivey has worked hard for Alabama her entire life. Thank you, Governor Ivey. Our legislature has done good things, and I want to thank them for building a strong foundation. We’ve added jobs, brought in billions of dollars in investment to this state, built roads, expanded broadband, and made progress in our schools. Since Republicans fully took over the state government 16 years ago, only 16 years ago, we’ve seen unemployment drop from nearly 10 percent in this state at the end of 2010 to a record 2.7 percent in 2025. That is amazing. Since Republicans took over, we’ve seen Alabama’s overall education scores increase, moving us from 49th to 32nd in state rankings for elementary education. We’ve banned abortion. We’ve started school choice, and we’ve cut billions in taxes while growing largest numbers ever. We’ve got the strongest foundation we’ve had in a long time, and we ought to be proud of it. You know, it’s like renovating an old house. Some people can walk through an old house and see the potential. A good eye can see the foundation is solid, the framing is strong, the kitchen needs work, the roof needs fixing, the plumbing hasn’t been touched in 30 years. You don’t bulldoze a good house. You roll up your sleeves and you make it better.
[09:04]
Now it’s time to make our home something special. And here’s the thing. Good isn’t the same as great and great isn’t the same as being a champion. I know what it takes to get there and it starts with being honest about ourselves with some tough love from an old ball coach.
[09:35]
You don’t win championships by sitting around talking about what you did last year. It doesn’t happen. You get back to work. You look at the [scoreboard?]. You look at what you’re doing well. You look at where you’re failing. and you get better every single day. That’s what we’re going to do in our great state of Alabama.
[10:07]
We’ve got some of the best industries in the world in our state. We’re building submarines in Muscle Shoals. Who would ever thought that? Folks, we’re building rockets in Huntsville. We’re building ships in Mobile and getting ready to grow larger. We’re building automobiles all across this great state. And millions of tourists are coming to our beaches down in the Gulf.
[10:38]
We’ve got Alabama farmers feeding America, good businesses employing our families, and universities doing research that is changing the world. Think about that. Folks, we have put men on the moon here in the state of Alabama. Think about that. We have put men on the moon. Not Houston, but Huntsville and the state of Alabama put men on the moon.
[11:12]
We’ve got mountains in the north, beaches in the south, and God’s country everywhere in between. Think about that. The best people you will ever meet in our great state. Hardworking, God-fearing people who love their families, love their freedom, and love Alabama. Folks, that’s a championship roster if I’ve ever seen one.
[11:43]
But I’ve also seen this before. I’ve seen teams that had the talent but couldn’t bring home the trophies. I’ve been there. For our state, I know where to start. You see our schools have made progress at the elementary level. But we’ve got to get better in middle school and give our kids the right pathways in high school.
[12:14]
We’ve got good hospitals all across the state, but too many rural families are still too far away from a doctor. We brought in some great companies, but too many families are still struggling to pay the bills. And we built some good roads, but anybody who’s driven I-65 and I-10 on a summer Friday knows we’ve got a lot of work to do.
[12:44]
But that’s not a reason to be discouraged. That’s a reason to get after it. And we’re going to do it the same way that I coach football. We’re going to go back to basics. We’re going to build an economy where Alabama families earn better paychecks, not just celebrate bigger announcements. We’re going to make Alabama the best place in America to start a business, raise a family, build a future by cutting red tape, bringing in better jobs, and lowering costs, giving your family more pocket money at the end of the month.
[13:30]
In 1993, when Mercedes came to Alabama—think about this—in 1993, when Mercedes came to Alabama, we ranked 44th for average household income. Thirty-three years later—it’s been 33 years—33 years later, folks we’re still ranked 44th. Why is that? That’s going to change. What good are the ribbon cuttings and the job announcements if you are still just holding on?
[14:05]
That’s not what we’re about. Holding on isn’t winning. We got to win for everybody. We’re going to get our kids ready for life. You hear all this education stuff. We’re going to get them ready for life. That’s what it’s about. Reading, writing, math, discipline and a skill that they can use. College ready. Thank you. College ready. That’s a choice. It’s my goal to make them life ready. That’s what we want our kids. Life ready.
[14:55]
We’re going to keep rural hospitals open. Okay. We’re going to get more doctors into our communities. We’re going to make health care easier to reach and more affordable, even though Barack Obama almost ruined it. We’re going to back our police, hold violent criminals accountable, and make Alabama the safest state in America.
[15:35]
If we don’t do that, I will hold the judges and prosecutors accountable. Folks, I am going to clean up Montgomery, Alabama. I give you my word I will make it safe to walk the streets of downtown Montgomery. even if I have to put the National Guard on every damn corner.
[16:14]
We’re going to build the infrastructure a growing state needs. Three lanes on I-65 from Tennessee all the way to the Gulf. We’re going to lower power bills and working water and sewer in the Black Belt because we ask the poorest of the state to pay the highest utilities. Why do we do that? Broadband in every county because we’ve been talking about it since I was a coach here at Auburn 16 years ago, and by the grace of God, we’re going to finish it.
[16:52]
And the Port of Alabama will help Alabama businesses compete with anybody in the world. Why? Because if business take our incentive money in this state, they’re going to use the Port of Mobile. That’s the game plan. Economy, education, health care, safety, infrastructure.
[17:23]
You see, folks, if you do the basics better over and over again, the championships will come. Now, there’s something else. Championship teams don’t waste talent. They don’t leave good players sitting on the bench, and they sure don’t spend money on things that don’t help them win. We’re going to get more Alabamians into the workforce. We’ve got way too many people that aren’t working.
[17:54]
We’re going to make government smaller. Did you hear me? We’re going to make government smaller, more efficient, more accountable. We’re going to audit the agencies, cut the waste, and give taxpayers more money to put back in their pocket. We’re going to lower income taxes. No state tax on groceries.
[18:24]
Property tax relief for our seniors. We’re going to make things families need that cost less. We’re going to cut back on power rates. We’re going to cut back on insurance rates. And we’re going to help with child care. We need to help the people of this state. We’re all in it together because the measure of a good economy isn’t what somebody announces at the podium. It’s how much money an Alabama family has to spend and then save for the future.
[19:00]
Now, I’m going to promise you perfection. We’re not going to do that. Perfection is not ever going to happen. You’re going to have some problems. Anybody that tells you it’s going to be perfect is lying to you. I promise you, I’ve been there. You can practice all you want. You can do the best things you want to do, and it’s going to be very, very tough. But I promise you accountability. We’re going to be accountable.
[19:30]
Every goal we set will go on a public scoreboard. Think about that. We’re going to put it up. We’re going to let you know how we’re doing. You’ll know what we’re doing. You’ll know what’s working, and you’ll know where we need to get better, because that’s what we do when we’re leaders. We live by the scoreboard. Now I gave you a game plan. Those of you that didn’t read it, most of you in here read it, but those of you that are watching on TV, read coachforgov.com. That’s our game plan. That’s your plan for the future of your state.
[20:12]
I expect you to hold me to it. We’re going to work at it every day. Folks, I didn’t run for governor because Alabama is a bad place. I didn’t do that. I ran because Alabama is a great place, a great place to live, and I believe it can be even greater. I ran for the mom in Dothan that’s working two jobs. Think about that. I ran for the farmer in the Black Belt, the nurse in a rural hospital that’s working her tail off to make ends meet. I ran for the young man in Tuscaloosa wondering whether his future is here or somewhere else, and the grandparents who want their grandkids to grow up close to home and not move to another state.
[21:08]
That’s who this is all about. It’s the future. Our kids, the number one commodity in this country. Now, I’ve spent my entire life building teams. And I’ve learned that the best teams aren’t always the ones with the most talent. You can win as long as you play together as a team. They’re the ones that believe in each other.
[21:40]
Think about it. You got to believe in each other. We got way too much dissension in this country. I step back there and watch television, and my God, what are we doing? I’ve been in Washington, D.C. six years. My God, what are we doing? We’re tearing the guts out of this great country, the greatest country on the face of the earth, the country my dad fought for 82 years ago. 82 years ago, landed at Normandy at age 17. And what are we doing?
[22:09]
What are we doing? This country belongs to Americans, people that love this country. We’re the ones that believe in each other. We should work together, hold each other accountable, and never stop trying to get better. If you ever stop, then you’re in trouble. Alabama believes in that.
[22:40]
That’s the reason Suzanne and I live here and our two boys. We believe in this state. We moved here, what, 27 years ago. You know, we’ve got the people. We’ve got the talent. We’ve got the foundation. Now it’s time to take the next step. It’s time to stop being satisfied with good. That’s not gonna get it anymore. It’s time to build something great.
[23:10]
Alabama, it’s time for championships. It’s time to win [unclear]. Our best days are ahead of us. Folks, I’m doing this for you. you, your family, the families of the future. I love this country and I love this state.
[23:42]
I just want to tell you, thank you for your support. Suzanne and I very much appreciate it. We look forward to being here as long as we’re on this earth. I look forward to my kids and my grandkids’ future for what we have. I look for your future, the future that you have. We might have problems in other states around this country. Folks, we ain’t got problems here. We’ve got a lot of love here, a lot of love for Alabama and a lot of love for the United States of America.
[24:22]
You know who changed my life? Donald Trump. Donald Trump’s taking a lot of hits right now. But you know what he did? He inherited a complete, absolute mess a year and a half ago. And how did I know this? Because I lived it for four years under Joe Biden. I lived it. And folks, if we’re going to go back to that, we’re in trouble. And what I’ve seen tonight scares me. It really does. But we can’t control that. What can we control?
[24:52]
We can control this great state. It’s going to take all of us to get it done. Our best days are ahead of us. So, all I can tell you is starting tomorrow, let’s go to work. We’ve got a lot of work to do. God bless all of you. God bless this country. God bless the great state of Alabama, and God bless the United States of America.
[25:23]
Thank you very much.
12:40 AM CST
APR calls governor race for Tuberville
It's 30 minutes past Election Day, and national outlets still haven't called the governor's contest between Republican Tommy Tuberville and Democrat Doug Jones. But APR has tentatively called the race for Tuberville, with all data accounted for from the state's official election results on the Alabama Secretary of State website. As of 12:36 a.m., state data showed Tuberville with a narrow victory netting 51.8 percent of the vote, with Jones finishing with 47.9 percent. Tuberville claimed victory in the race nearly two hours ago, while Jones at the time refused to concede the race while waiting for more votes from Jefferson County.
11:58 PM CST
Democrats on track to gain four seats in the Alabama Legislature
Democrats are on track to pick up two seats in the Alabama House and two in the Senate. Republicans would retain a supermajority in both chambers.
If unofficial results hold, Republicans would have 74 House seats, and Democrats would have 31, compared with the current 76–29 split. Incumbent Democratic state Representative Marilyn Lands, who won her district in a competitive 2024 special election, held on to her seat as well.
In the Senate, the current 27–8 split is likely to shift to 24 Republicans, 10 Democrats and one independent. With all precincts reporting, independent Jesse Battles narrowly leads incumbent Republican Andrew Jones by less than half a percentage point. Provisional ballots could still conceivably shift the outcome.
Key update11:30 PM CST
Watch Doug Jones' election night speech
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones declined to concede during an election night speech. You can watch the video here.
Doug Jones speaks at an election night watch party Full remarks
0:03
Thank you. All of you guys are the best. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, everybody. Thank you for staying. Thanks for being here. We love you guys.
This has been a long, long journey. It has been a fascinating journey [unclear], and thanks to all of you. There’s kind of good news and bad news. The bad news is that this is not a victory speech. The good news is it’s not a concession speech either.
[Crowd cheers.]
Thank you.
[Crowd chants.]
1:06
All right, so here’s the thing. Seriously. We’ve been watching all of this unfold tonight. It has been a slow process. You know, it dribbles in and dribbles out. But the fact of the matter is, there’s still a hell of a lot of votes out there that have not been counted.
Now, I’m very candid about this. We’ve got to do more than narrow the gap. We’ve got to make up that difference. It’s not going to be easy with this, but there is a path there. We believe that we can absolutely do it, but we may not.
[Crowd chants, “Yes, we can!”]
2:04
But, but I want everybody tonight to—let’s—we’re not going to do this for a long time. We’re really not. We know that there is probably at least 100,000 votes, probably in Jefferson County alone. There’s votes in Montgomery.
So I think that any, any concession is way premature. Any victory is way premature. But I want y’all to think about something. As we leave here tonight without an answer—a full answer yet—I want you to think about this.
When we started this race, look at the—look at the odds that we were given. Next to nothing. Everybody said, no, there was no way in the world that a Democrat could win. There was no way that Doug Jones could win. Well, we are that close.
3:00
And when Louise and I started this journey, we really told folks that there were two things, that we had a goal and we had an objective. We have not met the goal yet. We may. And that goal was to win, to be the next governor of Alabama.
But there was also an incredibly important objective, and the objective was to build, to build something special that is going to outlast the campaign. That’s what we have done over the last 11 months.
I am so proud of the campaign staff and the folks that we’ve had out in the field every day, the folks that we have had helping to run this campaign, whether it was from April Hodges, the campaign manager, and Caroline Self. All of this staff right over here have been there from day one. I could rattle them all off.
4:01
But here’s the thing that is so important to me, and this was what I insisted on. Every one of those folks right there, those are Alabama folks. There wasn’t anybody that came in.
And so look what has happened. Look at the things we’ve done. We have flipped a whole bunch of seats. State Senate, state House. We’re on the verge. It’s a close race up in the congressional district with Andrew Sneed. I don’t even know what the latest is up on that.
We have built something. We have built something special that is going to stay here with us. So regardless of how this turns out tomorrow or tonight or whenever it might turn out, we’re going to continue this building process.
4:54
You are going to continue to build this building process because it is still time for a change. And we have proven right now people want it. There’s enough people in this state to want that.
So let’s savor tonight what we know we have built. Let’s go to bed, light a candle, say a prayer, because it’s not over. When it is, we will be back, and we will talk.
So thank you all tonight. We love you. Thank you all for being with us. Thank you very, very much. You are the best. Thank y’all. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Key update11:02 PM CST
Doug Jones holds off on conceding governor’s race
Democratic candidate and former Senator Doug Jones held off on conceding Alabama’s governor’s race as he addressed supporters Tuesday night.
“This is not a victory speech. But the good news is this is not a concession speech,” Jones said.
View on XHear from Democratic Candidate for Governor Doug Jones:
Decision Desk HQ called the race for Republican Tommy Tuberville at 10:10 p.m. Central. Tuberville led by about 6 percentage points in the latest unofficial returns.
10:59 PM CST
HD25 elects Alabama's first openly transgender state lawmaker
Allison Montgomery won Alabama House District 25 to become Alabama's first openly transgender state lawmaker.Campaign photo Democrat Allison Montgomery defeated Republican incumbent Phillip Rigsby in Huntsville-area House District 25. Montgomery took 53.2 percent of the vote to Rigsby’s 46.7 percent, according to unofficial returns from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, with all precincts reporting.
Montgomery, a software engineer and advocate for transgender rights, pushed back after Rigsby attacked her gender identity during the campaign. She said voters wanted answers on affordability, schools and health care.
Montgomery was outspent by a wide margin and took repeated shots from Rigsby in the closing days of the campaign.
Montgomery’s win was part of a solid showing for Democratic candidates in Madison County, where they flipped two House seats and a state Senate seat and saw the vote shift some 30-plus points for Democrats.
Huntsville House candidate fires back at Republican opponent's attack on trans identityAllison Montgomery accused Phillip Rigsby of using culture-war attacks to distract voters from affordability, schools and health care.Continue reading10:28 PM CST
Tuberville claims victory in governor race
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville has claimed victory in Alabama’s gubernatorial race, despite close margins remaining. Full updates on his speech to come shortly.
Senator Tommy Tuberville claims victory in Alabama's gubernatorial election.Jacob Holmes / APR 10:17 PM CST
AP calls Alabama’s 5th Congressional District for Dale Strong
The Associated Press called Alabama’s 5th Congressional District race for incumbent U.S. Representative Dale Strong, R-Alabama, at 10:03 p.m.
Strong led Democratic challenger Andrew Sneed with roughly 9 in 10 votes counted.
Key update10:00 PM CST
Shomari Figures Holds 2nd Congressional District
Decision Desk HQ called Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District race for incumbent U.S. Representative Shomari Figures, D-Alabama, at 9:46 p.m.
Figures first won the seat in 2024 under a court-ordered map. This year, Alabama returned to a map its Republican-controlled Legislature passed in 2023 after the U.S. Supreme Court put a lower court’s injunction on hold. The lower court had found that the map intentionally diluted Black voting power.
The restored lines made the 2nd District more favorable to Republicans. When Alabama asked the Supreme Court to let it use the map, Attorney General Steve Marshall said his goal was a “7-0 Republican congressional delegation.”
“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, we are proud of the campaign we ran on Alabama common sense,” Republican challenger Rhett Marques told APR in a written statement. “Alabama values will always be worth fighting for, and Christina and I are deeply grateful to everyone who supported, prayed for and worked alongside us throughout this campaign.”
“The mission remains the same: save our country for future generations,” Marques added. “We will be praying for Congressman Figures, his family and all those elected to serve our state and country. God bless the greatest country on Earth.”
9:33 PM CST
AP calls Alabama’s 7th Congressional District for Terri Sewell
The Associated Press called Alabama’s 7th Congressional District race for incumbent U.S. Representative Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, at 9:24 p.m.
Sewell led Republican challenger Ammie Akin by more than 10 percentage points with about a quarter of the expected vote counted.
9:32 PM CST
Tuberville could speak within 15 minutes
From APR’s Jacob Holmes at Tuberville’s watch party
We’ve just been told in the press room that Tommy Tuberville could speak within the next 15 minutes. The governor’s race is still too early to call, and it’s unclear how long we’ll wait once we’re called to the auditorium.
Follow our live election results page for the latest count.
9:21 PM CST
AP calls Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District for Mike Rogers
The Associated Press called Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District race for incumbent U.S. Representative Mike Rogers at 9:10 p.m.
Rogers held a wide lead over Democratic nominee Lee McInnis as of 9:15 p.m., with more than 40 percent of the vote still to be counted.
“I am honored and blessed to be reelected to serve in Congress," Rogers said. "Thank you to the voters in Alabama’s Third Congressional District and to President Trump for his strong endorsement. I am ready to return to DC to continue working with the Trump Administration for Alabama and for the United States of America.”
9:18 PM CST
Limestone County shows sharp Republican slippage
Bill Britt and Josh Moon
Limestone County has finished counting, and Tommy Tuberville carried it by 17 points. That's well short of recent Republican margins there: Governor Kay Ivey won Limestone by 55 points in 2022, and Donald Trump won it by 43 in 2024. Tuberville's margin is even below the 19 points Roy Moore posted in the county during the 2017 U.S. Senate special election that Doug Jones won statewide. The governor's race has not been called.
8:57 PM CST
AP calls Alabama’s 4th Congressional District for Robert Aderholt
The Associated Press called Alabama’s 4th Congressional District race for incumbent U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama, at 8:33 p.m.
Aderholt held a wide lead over Democratic challenger Amanda Pusczek as of 8:49 p.m., with about half the vote still to be counted.
“While the outcome tonight wasn’t what we hoped for, the movement we built together across North Alabama does not end here,” Pusczek told APR in a written statement. “Thank you for your belief, your hard work, and your voice.”
8:42 PM CST
Three Alabama House races we’re watching
The early returns caught our eye in three Huntsville-area state House races. Each pits a Republican incumbent against a Democratic challenger.
- District 25. Republican state Representative Phillip Rigsby, a pharmacist first elected in 2022, faces Democrat Allison Montgomery, a software engineer.
- District 21. Republican state Representative Rex Reynolds, a former Huntsville police chief who first won the seat in a 2018 special election, faces Democrat Forrest Satterfield, an engineer and entrepreneur.
- District 20. Republican state Representative James Lomax, first elected in 2022, faces Democrat James Linderholm, who practiced law before building a gymnastics business in the Huntsville area.
8:41 PM CST
Tuberville, Moore pull ahead as more votes come in
Republican Tommy Tuberville has pulled ahead of Democrat Doug Jones in the governor’s race, according to early returns. Republican Barry Moore also leads Democrat Everett Wess in the U.S. Senate race.
Most of the expected vote is still outstanding, and neither race has been called.
7:31 PM CST
Democrats lead in first trickle of returns; top races way too early to call
The first votes are in, and Democrats Doug Jones, Everett Wess and Phillip Ensler hold early leads in the races for governor, U.S. Senate and lieutenant governor, respectively, according to early results.
Only a tiny share of the vote has been counted, and all three races remain too early to call. No votes have been reported yet in the closely watched 2nd Congressional District race between U.S. Representative Shomari Figures and state Representative Rhett Marques.
A reminder: The first returns reflect whichever areas report fastest. They don’t necessarily tell us where these races are headed.
7:00 PM CST
Polls have closed in Alabama
It’s 7 p.m., and polls have closed across Alabama. If you’re still in line, stay there—you have the right to cast your ballot.
Now comes the counting. We’ll bring you results, updates from our reporters at watch parties and reaction from across the state throughout the evening. Keep checking back, and remember: Early returns may tell only part of the story.
6:58 PM CST
Voting machine issues resolved at three Lowndes County locations
Voting machine issues in Burkeville, Hayneville and Whitehall have been resolved, nonprofit Alabama Values reports.
The organization cited Lowndes County Probate Judge LaShandra Myrick, who said all machines at the affected polling places were working again after some experienced paper jams. Ballots placed in emergency slots will be hand-fed into the machines after polls close.
Alabama Values encouraged anyone experiencing problems at the polls to call the Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
6:44 PM CST
From APR’s Jacob Holmes at Tuberville’s watch party
With half an hour to go before polls close, Officer Hutch—the dog—has arrived with the K-9 unit to sweep the press room at Tommy Tuberville’s watch party.
We’re now confined to this room until Tuberville makes his speech. We’re estimating that will be around 9 p.m. or later, depending on how tight the race is.
Jacob Holmes / APR 6:08 PM CST
ACLU reports ICE activity near Albertville polling place
The ACLU of Alabama says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were spotted patrolling near a polling place in Albertville.
According to the organization, two agents conducted what it described as a facial scan of a nearby street vendor, then followed and detained a witness who tried to photograph the encounter.
The ACLU said the witness was later released after showing proof of U.S. citizenship.
6:03 PM CST
APR's Jacob Holmes will have updates from Tuberville's camp
I’m now inside the press area at Tommy Tuberville’s election night watch party. I’ll have updates from here as the evening unfolds.
From inside Tommy Tuberville's watch party.Jacob Holmes / APR GOP urges straight-ticket voting in Election Day text
A Republican text urged voters Tuesday to cast a straight Republican ticket in an Election Day text message.
“Push back against the blue wave - VOTE RED!” the message read. "Vote STRAIGHT Republican!"
The text also reminded recipients that polls close at 7 p.m.
Republican text graphicALGOP Montgomery turnout reaches 43 percent as after-work crowd arrives
Montgomery County turnout has reached 43 percent, with nearly 70,000 ballots cast—an increase of almost 20,000 in less than two hours.
The after-work crowd is just arriving, and lines have formed again at several precincts.
From APR’s Jacob Holmes at Tuberville’s watch party
I’ve arrived at the hotel for Tommy Tuberville’s election night watch party, but they’re not letting the press in until 6 p.m. I’ll have updates from inside once the doors open.
Outside Senator Tommy Tuberville's election watch party in Auburn, Alabama.Jacob Holmes / APR A turnout pattern is taking shape—but there’s still time on the clock
Scrolling through news reports this afternoon, a pattern is taking shape: Several of Alabama’s largest counties, with substantial Democratic populations, are seeing strong turnout. They’re surpassing 2022 levels, and some look likely to blow past 2018 levels, too.
Jefferson County is on pace to surpass 50 percent turnout, which could mean around 75,000 more votes for governor than in 2022. Montgomery’s turnout is surprising even local officials. It was already around 35 percent as of 3:30 p.m., and Probate Judge JC Love said the late-day surge—typically the busiest stretch—could push turnout to around 60 percent. That would rival Obama-era levels.
Madison County is also exceeding 2022 levels. Yellowhammer News reported that Doug Jones’ hometown of Mountain Brook had surpassed its 2018 turnout and, as of 3 p.m., was nearing the total vote count recorded in 2022.
Meanwhile, reliably Republican counties, including Marshall, Morgan, Limestone, Cullman and Winston, are reporting slightly lower turnout figures than in 2022. Yellowhammer reported that Marshall County officials expected final turnout of 30 to 35 percent, down from 37.5 percent in 2022.
A word of caution, though: There’s still time on the clock. Afternoon turnout reports can help us make educated guesses, but those guesses can be way off. The late-day rush, weather and other factors can change the picture—and turnout alone doesn’t tell us who’s getting those votes.
Barry Moore’s election night event to stream live
U.S. Representative Barry Moore’s election night event in Enterprise will begin at 8 p.m. Central Tuesday, according to a media advisory.
The advisory bills the gathering as a “victory party” and invites those who cannot attend to watch via livestream on YouTube.
Alabama A&M students, alumni march to the polls
Alabama A&M University students and alumni marched to the polls at noon Tuesday, walking from the campus quad to an on-campus polling site at Elmore Gymnasium.
Ahead of the march, the From the Hill Podcast, which covers A&M campus life and athletics, encouraged students to review candidates and highlighted A&M alumni running for public office.
Andrew Sneed, the Democratic nominee for Alabama’s 5th Congressional District, and Jason Jones, an A&M alumnus running for Madison County district judge, Place 4, attended the march.
