Alabama lawmakers face quick deadline to pass election integrity legislation
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Eye on Politics
Paul DeMarco
Two years ago, Alabama voters passed a constitutional amendment that required any changes to election law to be enacted no later than six months before voters go to the polls.
The impetus for the law was based on the concerns of what had occurred around the nation in the 2020 presidential election law when states made last minute changes to the absentee ballot process. Since this is an election year, one of the first bills the Alabama Senate will take up will ban harvesting of absentee ballots.
The new law would prohibit individuals or groups from receiving payment for the collection of absentee ballots from voters to deliver to the courthouse. This has been a long time problem in Alabama that has raised concerns about some absentee ballots counted in Alabama. There has been a real question about the authenticity of ballots, and thus state representatives and senators want to get this resolved once and for all.
This year it could be an even bigger issue with the high stakes election in Alabama’s Second Congressional contest in the fall. With the new U.S. Supreme Court ordered Congressional map, this will be one of the most competitive elections in the nation. With Republicans holding a razor thin majority of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrats are going to pour in hundreds of thousands of dollars to take this seat. Thus, you can count on Democratic organizations actively soliciting absentee ballots.
The bill died in the Alabama Senate on the final day of the session, but if it passes the Senate in the next week or so, state representatives have promised they would move it quickly to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for her signature. While there are a lot of important bills that will be debated this session, clearly passage of this legislation will have an immediate impact on state elections.
Let’s see if lawmakers keep their word to ensure honest elections. Alabama voters must have confidence in the integrity of state elections.
Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on X, formerly Twitter, at @Paul_DeMarco.