Ala. Code § 11-47-94
Where the census of any city or town in this state has been or may hereafter be taken as provided by this article and the report of the census thus taken has been or may hereafter be filed with the Secretary of State, the census, purporting to be a true and correct enumeration of the inhabitants residing in said cities and towns, is and shall be ratified, confirmed, and validated and the report of said census which has been or may hereafter be filed shall for all purposes govern and be taken as the true and correct census for all such cities and towns in the state when so taken. The form of government of such cities and towns shall be governed and controlled by such census when the same is so taken and a report thereof is filed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
Ala. Code § 11-47-94 (1975)