Voters who will be traveling or can't make it to the polls for certain other reasons for the special election on Dec. 12 have a few more days to apply for an absentee ballot.

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Thursday, five days before the election between Democrat Doug Jones and Republican Roy Moore for the U.S. Senate.

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 11 and must arrive at the county absentee election manager's office no later than noon on election day.

Absentee ballots hand-delivered to the county absentee ballot manager's office must be delivered by close of business on Dec. 11.

Absentee ballot applications are available on the Secretary of State's website, as is a list of addresses for absentee election managers by county.

Voters can cast absentee ballots if they will be out of the county on election day, have an illness or infirmity that keeps them from going to the polls, have a work shift that includes 10 hours or more coinciding with polling hours on election day, are attending a college outside the county where they vote, or are a member of the military or the spouse or dependent of a member of the military serving overseas.

The deadline to register to vote in the election has passed. It was Nov. 27.