Friday, Feb. 12, is the last day to register to vote for the March 1 primaries.

According to state law, all voters must register to vote at least 14 days prior to the election to be allowed to vote in the primary. Name and address changes also need to be completed prior to voting.

Registration forms can be obtained online at alabamavotes.gov, at libraries, at many government buildings or by calling 334-242-7210.

Forms sent through the mail must be postmarked by Feb. 13.

Voters who do not register prior to the March primary will have an opportunity to register prior to the general election in November.

This election will also mark the first time there have been two election sites in Gardendale, according to Patricia Higgins, ward chief for the voting site at the Gardendale Civic Center.

For this election, all Gardendale residents who live west of Highway 31 will go to the civic center, as always, but all residents east of Highway 31 will go to Gardendale Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church.

The decision to split the polling place was made after Gardendale spent a number of years where it was the largest polling place in the county, Higgins said.

The civic center will host an estimated 6,000 registered voters and the church is expecting approximately 4,000.