HB30 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jimmy Martin

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Elections, overseas absentee voting, Electronic Overseas Voting Advisory Committee, established to advise whether secure electronic means of voting available, duties of absentee election manager, overseas voter certificate required, Secretary of State to implement rules

Summary

HB30 creates a committee to study secure electronic overseas voting and sets up rules and procedures for overseas absentee ballots and emergency voting powers in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

It establishes the Alabama Electronic Overseas Voting Advisory Committee to determine whether a secure electronic voting method can be used for overseas voters and to advise the Secretary of State on implementation. If a secure method is deemed feasible, the Secretary of State must adopt rules to enable that option, including how overseas voters request and return ballots and obtain an overseas voter certificate, with review and veto options if needed. The bill also sets technical and security requirements for secure remote transmission, such as encryption and identity verification, and creates emergency voting powers for use in special situations, with funding obligations borne by the State.

Who It Affects

• Overseas voters who are Alabama residents (military, merchant marines, or others) and eligible to vote, as they would use new procedures to request, receive, vote, and return overseas ballots and obtain an overseas voter certificate.
• State and local election officials and related entities (Secretary of State, absentee election manager, county boards, sheriffs, probate judges, circuit clerks, National Guard, and various state political party and veterans groups) who would implement, administer, and fund the new rules and processes.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Alabama Electronic Overseas Voting Advisory Committee and outlines its duties to study secure electronic overseas absentee voting.
• Committee membership includes the Secretary of State as chair and representatives from multiple state offices, county boards, military and veterans organizations, and political party caucuses; aims for diverse representation and serves without compensation.
• If feasible, the Secretary of State must promulgate rules proposed by the committee to provide secure electronic overseas voting, with veto rights and potential joint review if agreement cannot be reached.
• Rules must address requests, receipt, return of overseas ballots, overseas voter certificates, voting instructions, and ballot processing, including emergency overseas voting powers.
• Establishes minimum security and technical standards for secure remote transmission (encryption, key management, auditing, identity verification, and ballot recording).
• Defines procedures for requesting and returning overseas ballots, including methods like fax, mail, or secure electronic transmission, and requires confidentiality and signatures where applicable.
• Provides authority for emergency rules to facilitate overseas voting during emergencies, to be adopted under state emergency rule procedures.
• Specifies that all expenses related to implementing the act are paid by the State of Alabama.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elections