SB461 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

Democrat

Co-Sponsor

Linda Coleman-Madison

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Presidential and vice presidential electors, elected in direct proportion to popular vote, Sec. 17-14-34 am'd.

Summary

SB461 would allocate Alabama's presidential electors in direct proportion to the statewide popular vote, starting with the 2012 election.

What This Bill Does

It changes the current system where nine electors are nominated at large by parties to a proportional system based on vote share. The governor, with the secretary of state and attorney general (or one of them if the other is unavailable), must certify the results within 15 days and determine how many electors each candidate receives according to their share of the popular vote. The governor would then proclaim the elected electors based on those proportions. The change would take effect beginning with the 2012 presidential election and continue thereafter.

Who It Affects

• Voters in Alabama, whose votes would determine each presidential candidate's share of the nine electors.
• Presidential candidates and their parties in Alabama, whose electoral votes would be allocated proportionally rather than to a statewide winner.
• The nine presidential electors from Alabama, who would be chosen according to the proportional shares of the popular vote.
• State officials (Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General) who would certify the results and issue proclamations reflecting the proportional allocation.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 17-14-34 to allocate presidential electors in direct proportion to the popular vote beginning with the 2012 election.
• The allocation must reflect the percentage of the statewide popular vote received by each candidate, with electors proclaimed as elected accordingly.
• Certification of returns and notification of electors must occur within 15 days after the returns are complete, by the Governor in conjunction with the Secretary of State and Attorney General (or one of them if the other is unavailable).
• The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after it is passed and approved by the Governor, or becomes law otherwise.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elections