For the first time in Alabama, crossover voting is banned for both parties.

Under a law passed this spring, voters may not jump from voting in one party’s primary and the other party’s runoff.

If you voted a Republican ballot last month or if you did not vote at all, you may vote in Tuesday’s runoff.

If you voted a Democratic ballot last month, you will not be allowed to vote in the Republican runoff Tuesday.

In December, voters go back to the polls to decide which of the two nominees, the Republican candidate or the Democrat, to send to Washington. At that point, you can vote for a candidate in either party; you are not obligated to vote for the candidate who won the primary in which you voted.