With the upcoming Nov. 5 presidential general election, here are some important reminders for Alabama citizens.

The state of Alabama allows those wishing to vote to register up to 14 days before an election and requires a valid photo ID. Those who wish to vote by mail must have their ballot postmarked no later than the day of the respective election.

With the general election a little over a month away, the Alabama Secretary of State has released sample ballots of all the offices and amendments that will appear on each county's ballot.

Elections are a foundation of democracy, but they're also human exercises. Despite all the laws and rules governing how they should run, elections can sometimes appear to be messy.

Variations of absentee voting and voting over multiple days have been part of American elections since the nation's founding. Today’s system of mail voting and early in-person v