With the Nov. 5 General Election now only a month away, Monday, Oct. 21, marks the last day to register to vote in order for Alabama electors to cast a ballot on election day.

The deadline to cast an absentee ballot falls no later than five days before the General Election, which this year means absentee voters have until Oct. 31 to request a ballot in person at the Cullman County Circuit Clerk’s Office (Cullman County Courthouse, 500 2nd Ave. SW, Room #303). For absentee voting done by mail, the deadline is even earlier: Tuesday, Oct. 29 is the last day the office can receive requests for mailed absentee ballots ahead of the Nov. 5 General Election.

The Cullman County Circuit Clerk’s Office fields all absentee voting requests locally, and this year is urging would-be absentee voters not to hesitate to request their ballots — especially if they plan to do so by mail.

“We have seen the [U.S.] Postal Service is short-staffed, and that the mailing process is somewhat slower this cycle,” said Cullman County Circuit Clerk Lisa McSwain. “So I would encourage anyone who wants to vote absentee to please get their applications in as soon as possible ahead of the deadline. The same day that we receive an absentee application, we mail the ballots out. It’s a true same-day process: I literally hand deliver those ballots to the post office, every day, on the day that they’ve been requested.”

Any completed absentee voting application must be returned by the voter in person or sent by the U.S. Mail. Multiple applications cannot be mailed in the same envelope: Each absentee ballot submitted by mail — even from voters residing in the same household — must be mailed separately in its own envelope.

Voter ID instructions will accompany each mailed absentee ballot and must be followed carefully to insure that your ballot is counted. Office hours for absentee voting at the Cullman County Circuit Clerk’s Office are as follows:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (The office is closed on Wednesdays and for all state and federal holidays.)

If you plan to vote in person on election day, but simply need to register (or to update your address or other voter information), you can do so in person at the Cullman County Board of Registrars (Cullman County Courthouse, 500 2nd Avenue SW, Suite 112). You can also visit alabamavotes.gov and select the “Voter Registration / Update Registration” option to accomplish the same task online.