HB425 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Steve ClouseRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Presidential preference primary election, date changed, provisions relating to when election day same day as Mardi Gras deleted, Secs. 17-13-3, 17-13-100 am'd. (2011-20382)

Summary

HB425 moves the presidential preference primary to the second Tuesday in March (starting in 2012) and aligns the regular primary with that date in presidential years, with special Mardi Gras voting provisions for Mobile, Baldwin, and other Mardi Gras counties.

What This Bill Does

It changes the presidential primary date to the second Tuesday in March and requires the regular primary to be on the same day in years with a presidential election. For counties that observe Mardi Gras and have the presidential primary on Mardi Gras, it adds special voting provisions, including expanded absentee and early voting options and the use of special voting centers. It also outlines how early results are handled, allows time adjustments by election officials, and sets county-level funding and logistical rules, with state reimbursement for the election costs.

Who It Affects

• Voters in Mobile County, Baldwin County, and any county that recognizes Mardi Gras as a county holiday, who gain expanded early and absentee voting options around the Mardi Gras-coinciding presidential primary date.
• County election officials (judges of probate, boards of registrars, county commissions) and municipalities in affected counties, who must implement the new voting centers, funding limits, scheduling, and parade-permit restrictions related to the early voting provisions.

Key Provisions

• Moves the presidential preference primary to the second Tuesday in March, beginning in 2012, and makes the regular primary also held on the second Tuesday in March in presidential years.
• If the presidential primary falls on Mardi Gras, allows absentee voting regardless of the voter's location and authorizes an early voting day on the Wednesday before the first Tuesday in February in Mobile, Baldwin, and other Mardi Gras counties.
• Permits the establishment of special voting centers for both the early voting day and the presidential primary day, with centers accessible to voters.
• Requires early voting results to be counted and sealed at voting centers and to be forwarded to the judge of probate, with final tabulation on the first Tuesday in February and simultaneous public announcement of results.
• Gives judges of probate flexibility to adjust time requirements to comply with this subsection, to the extent reasonable.
• Sets deadlines: voter registration 10 days before the early election date; absentee ballot requests by the Thursday before the early election date; emergency absentee process from the Friday before the early election date to the day before the first Tuesday in February.
• Allows counties to designate a countywide voting center, alternative tabulation location, and alternative Board of Registrars/Absentee Election Manager locations; authorizes up to $25,000 per county for related expenses and up to $100,000 per county for advertising and outreach; and funds related to these activities.
• Requires municipalities in affected counties to ensure parade permits do not hinder early voting.
• States that the state will reimburse counties for all costs of holding the presidential preference primary as provided; and notes certain standard funding provisions do not apply to this election.
• If the March primary is held in conjunction with the presidential primary, references to a June primary will be read as referring to March.

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