Alabama cities hold runoffs when no candidate wins a majority

The municipal governing body orders a runoff election. The two candidates with the most votes in the regular election run against each other. This applies when more than two candidates ran for an office and none received a majority of the votes. If a runoff candidate for that office withdraws or dies, a runoff to fill the office is not required. The runoff takes place on the fourth Tuesday after the regular election. The candidate with the most runoff votes wins.

The municipal governing body decides a tied runoff; if it does not decide, the probate judge selects the winner by lot. These procedures apply when a runoff or second election ends in a tie. A majority of governing body members eligible to vote must vote for a candidate to break the tie. A probate judge who openly promoted a candidate in the election that led to the tie cannot select the winner. The presiding circuit court judge takes over that duty. The governing body must decide by noon on the first Tuesday after the runoff. If it fails, the lot must be drawn by 5 p.m. that day, with candidates and any electors who choose to attend present.

The municipal governing body may canvass election results early. This applies to municipal elections. The board of registrars must have sent the provisional ballot results before the first Tuesday after the election, or no provisional ballots may have been cast. The early count may happen at a special or regular meeting before the first Tuesday after the election.