AL
Alabama House Bill HB71

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB71 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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11 HB71INTRODUCED
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33 HB71
44 XGUF777-1
55 By Representative Clarke
66 RFD: Constitution, Campaigns and Elections
77 First Read: 04-Feb-25
88 PFD: 04-Dec-24
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1414 6 XGUF777-1 11/19/2024 PMG (L)bm 2024-2940
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1616 PFD: 04-Dec-24
1717 SYNOPSIS:
1818 Under existing law, the only way for an elector
1919 to vote before election day in this state is to vote by
2020 absentee ballot, provided the elector meets one of the
2121 excuses that allows for absentee voting.
2222 This bill would provide a process for early
2323 voting in general and special elections, other than
2424 municipal elections.
2525 This bill would prescribe minimum days and hours
2626 of operation of early voting centers.
2727 This bill would allow an elector, without
2828 excuse, to cast his or her vote using a voting machine
2929 at an early voting center.
3030 This bill would require each county commission
3131 to establish early voting center locations in the
3232 county and establish a communications plan to publish
3333 notice of early voting in the respective county.
3434 This bill would provide that staffing,
3535 reimbursement of election expenses, and election day
3636 conduct would apply to early voting.
3737 This bill would also require the Secretary of
3838 State to adopt rules to ensure the process does not
3939 permit electors to vote more than once in any election.
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6969 A BILL
7070 TO BE ENTITLED
7171 AN ACT
7272 Relating to elections; to provide a process for early
7373 voting in certain elections; to prescribe the number,
7474 location, and hours of operation of early voting centers in
7575 each county; to authorize electors to cast a vote, without
7676 excuse, by voting machine at an early voting center; to
7777 provide for the conduct of early voting; and to require the
7878 Secretary of State to adopt rules.
7979 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
8080 Section 1. (a) This section shall apply to all general
8181 and special elections other than municipal elections.
8282 (b) Beginning in the election cycle for the November
8383 2026 General Election, qualified electors of this state may
8484 obtain and cast an in-person ballot in advance of election
8585 day, without excuse, at an early voting center in accordance
8686 with this section.
8787 (c) The early voting period shall begin the Saturday 17
8888 days before election day and extend through the Thursday five
8989 days before election day. Polls shall be open for early voting
9090 for at least eight continuous hours between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00
9191 p.m. no fewer than two weekdays each week, with at least two
9292 days during the weekday open until 8:00 p.m., and between the
9393 hours of 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on each Saturday during the
9494 early voting period. The early voting election officials shall
9595 establish hours of operation of each early voting center,
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125125 establish hours of operation of each early voting center,
126126 provided nothing in this subsection shall be construed to
127127 prohibit a county commission from establishing a greater
128128 number of hours for voting during the early voting period
129129 beyond the number of hours required by this subsection.
130130 (d)(1) Notwithstanding Section 17-8-1, Code of Alabama
131131 1975, not more than 20 nor less than 15 days before the date
132132 early voting begins pursuant to this section, the appointing
133133 board of each county shall appoint necessary early voting
134134 election officials, including at least one inspector and three
135135 clerks at each center. During the early voting period,
136136 election officials shall carry out the roles, duties, and
137137 functions prescribed by law to election officials on election
138138 day, as further provided by rules adopted by the Secretary of
139139 State. Election officials shall be compensated for their
140140 services as provided in Section 17-8-12, Code of Alabama 1975.
141141 (2) Poll watchers shall be allowed at each early voting
142142 center as provided in Section 17-8-7, Code of Alabama 1975, or
143143 as otherwise provided by law.
144144 (e)(1) Each county shall operate at least one early
145145 voting center for every 100,000 residents, according to the
146146 most recent federal decennial census. The county commission
147147 shall determine the location of each early voting center and
148148 the geographical area the center serves using the most recent
149149 federal decennial census tract and block map. The boundaries
150150 shall coincide with existing precinct boundaries. An early
151151 voting center may be located in any branch of the county
152152 courthouse or courthouse annex, a government building
153153 generally accessible to the public, or a location that is used
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183183 generally accessible to the public, or a location that is used
184184 as an election day polling place.
185185 (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1), for any special
186186 election, the county commission, by majority vote, may reduce
187187 the number of early voting centers when the commission
188188 determines a lesser number of centers is sufficient to meet
189189 the needs of early voters.
190190 (f) The process for voting at an early voting center
191191 shall be conducted in the same manner as set forth in state
192192 law for voting in person on election day. Each early voting
193193 center shall be equipped with at least two voting machines
194194 with which electors may cast their ballot. When the time
195195 arrives for closing the early voting centers, all qualified
196196 voters who are waiting in line to vote shall be permitted by
197197 the election officer to cast their vote. Upon the daily
198198 closing of an early voting center, the election officers shall
199199 secure all ballots cast, the poll lists maintained at the
200200 location, and all other voting materials, whether used or
201201 unused, as provided by rules adopted by the Secretary of State
202202 as necessary to comply with state law.
203203 (g) Each county commission shall create a communication
204204 plan to inform eligible electors of the opportunity to vote
205205 early. The plan may use any media outlet, including social
206206 media and the official county website, and shall publicize the
207207 designation of voting precincts to assigned early voting
208208 centers, along with the location, date, and hours of operation
209209 of each early voting center. Each county shall provide the
210210 Secretary of State's Office with elector polling place
211211 information for early voting, and the Secretary of State shall
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241241 information for early voting, and the Secretary of State shall
242242 integrate the early voting polling place information in its
243243 voter information poll locator website.
244244 (h) All expenses and costs incurred to comply with this
245245 section shall be reimbursed in accordance with Article 1 of
246246 Chapter 16 of Title 17, Code of Alabama 1975.
247247 (i) The Secretary of State shall adopt rules to
248248 implement this section. The rules shall include, but not be
249249 limited to, provisions that do all of the following:
250250 (1) Ensure that ballots cast early, by any method
251251 allowed under state law, are counted and canvassed as if cast
252252 on election day.
253253 (2) Ensure an efficient and fair early voting process
254254 that respects the privacy of the voter.
255255 (3) Ensure that electors who vote during the early
256256 voting period are not permitted to vote more than once in the
257257 same election.
258258 Section 2. This act shall become effective on July 1,
259259 2025.
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