Alabama voters will cast their ballots on Tuesday in primaries for governor, the Senate and House of Representatives, the state legislature and more.

       Polls open at 8 a.m. ET and close at 8 p.m. ET. The state does not allow early voting.

       State Significance

       Crowded races for both the Senate and the governor's office in Alabama increase the prospect of runoffs in at least one of the state's two biggest primary contests -- both for the Republican nomination.

       The Senate race will decide who will replace longtime lawmaker Richard Shelby, who is retiring.

       Among three leading contenders is Katie Britt, Shelby's former chief of staff, who has secured the outgoing senator's endorsement. Businessman and former Army aviator Mike Durant is another front-runner who has seen periodic surging in the polls. Durant is best known as the helicopter pilot whose capture during a U.S. military mission in Somalia inspired the "Black Hawk Down" book and movie.

       The most significant figure in the contest is Rep. Mo Brooks, of Huntsville, who has seen ups and downs in the race after securing Donald Trump's endorsement only to have it stripped because the former president considered him too "woke" for suggesting voters move on from the 2020 election.

       Brooks, a six-term congressman from north Alabama, was a key Trump ally in the events around Jan. 6, 2021, and continues to try to delegitimize the 2020 election. Despite having lost Trump's favor, Brooks has touted that earlier support: His campaign website features old video footage of Trump speaking kindly of him and Brooks also recently circulated mailers featuring quotes from Trump during the time he supported the candidate.

       Julie Bennett/AP, FILE

       Voters wait in line to cast their ballots in the 2020 election, Nov. 3, 2020, in Auburn, Ala.

       Trump has not endorsed another candidate in the race, though he teased backing a Brooks competitor.

       Three more Republicans are vying for Shelby's seat: Lillie Boddie, Karla M. Dupriest and Jake Schafer.

       Meanwhile the race to be Alabama's next governor pits incumbent Kay Ivey against a slew of competitors.

       The contest was shaping up to be an easy victory for Ivey before other candidates began narrowing in on GOP culture war issues like pandemic restrictions and taxes.

       Other primary candidates include a former Trump administration ambassador, Lindy Blanchard; a former county commissioner and corrections officer, Stacy Lee George; Tim James, a toll bridge developer and son of former governor Fob James; and Lew Burdette, a businessman and nonprofit leader.

       There are no major House races to watch in Alabama. However, a heated redistricting process in the state has left only one majority Black district despite pushes from advocates to create two majority Black districts in a state where 27% of the population is Black.