WAAY 31 learned if you have coronavirus, you can still go vote in person, according to the Secretary of State.

That's just one of the scenarios WAAY 31 asked Secretary of State John Merrill about the deadline for absentee voting and election day.

Let's say you registered to vote absentee and then decide at the last minute that you want to vote in person. Merrill said you can't do that.

You have to stick with voting absentee. In other states, if you change your mind at the last minute to vote in person, you just bring your absentee ballot that's not filled out and go cast your vote.

WAAY 31 asked Merrill what happens if a person plans to vote in person and misses the absentee ballot request of Thursday, Oct. 29 and then contracts the coronavirus before the Nov. 3 election. He said that person can still vote in person, but special accommodations will be made.

"If someone with coronavirus comes to vote, that individual will be directed to go to another location within the polling site so they would not attempt to infect other people that may be susceptible to receiving the coronavirus," said Merrill.

When voting absentee in the state of Alabama, you can do it in person or by mail. If you mail in your absentee ballot, you must have it signed by a notary or signed and witnessed by two people for it to count. 

We asked Merrill what happens if you mail your absentee ballot in only to realize you didn't have the witness signatures.

"You can contact the absentee ballot manager to see if they will work with him to rectify the situation," said Merrill.

So, if you're wondering about your absentee ballot or realize you didn't have the witness signatures, contact the county's absentee ballot manager.

"That individual is the correct individual in all 67 counties," said Merrill.

Merrill said it's important to follow the rules to make your vote count if you decide to vote absentee.

"Whether it's the absentee ballot application process, the absentee ballot return process, whether it's actually voting in person, you have to make sure that you follow the rules, guidelines and laws established in the Alabama code," said Merrill.

Merrill said the surge in absentee voters and ballots this year won't delay Alabama voters from learning on election day who won and who lost in area races.

Earlier this month, Gov. Kay Ivey ordered early absentee votes to be counted. This means starting at 7 a.m. on Nov. 3, officials throughout the state can begin counting absentee votes.

Merrill said so far, they've had 280,000 absentee ballot requests and 221,000 of those have been successfully returned. The previous record was 89,000.

So, with this anticipated high voter turnout and record-breaking absentee ballots being cast, he said they sent extra counting machines to counties and will have extra staff on hand.

"We have extra tabulators available for absentee ballots to be cast through in all 67 counties, so there will be no delay in the absentee process," said Merrill.

If you have an absentee ballot and want to turn it in in person, you must do this by 5 p.m. on Nov. 2. That's this coming Monday.

If you are mailing in your absentee ballot, in order for it to count, it has to be mailed in by noon on election day. You can track your absentee ballot by clicking here.