The 2026 primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 after a bill passed by both chambers of the Alabama Legislature was officially signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey.

Prior to the enactment of HB258, the election was set for Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Now, the election will officially be held the Tuesday preceding Memorial Day — rather than the day right after.

The proposed change was made to better accommodate local election administrators and probate judges.

As usual, primary runoff elections will be held on the fourth Tuesday following the primary election and the timeline applies to both the Republican and Democratic parties in Alabama.

Just as significantly, the change to the non-presidential election cycle effectively moves up the fundraising and filing window for 2026 candidates to next Monday, May 19, 2025.

Under Alabama law, candidates intending to participate in the primary election may begin soliciting and accepting contributions 12 months prior to the election date. With the primary now scheduled for May 19, 2026, the fundraising window opens on May 19, 2025.

The candidate filing deadline is 116 days before the primary election, which falls on January 23, 2026. Candidates must file their declarations of candidacy with the appropriate party officials by this date to qualify for the primary ballot.

The general election remains scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Voter registration deadlines are 15 days before the election.