HB162 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Wes Long

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Wayne JohnsonSteve ClouseJim BartonVictor Gaston

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Voter registration, to change from 10 to 17 the number of days before an election in which a person is prohibited to register to vote in that election, Sec. 17-3-50 am'd.

Summary

HB162 would extend the voter registration blackout period from 10 to 17 days before an election and require the statewide voter registration list to be published online by the 20th day before an election.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the law would prevent registering new voters within 17 days prior to any election (instead of 10). Registrar offices must remain open during that period and on election day. It would also create a single, centralized online voter registration list that must be published by the 20th day before each election, include detailed voter information, coordinate with other state databases to remove deceased voters, allow immediate electronic access for election officials, and provide copies of the list to qualified political parties after elections. There is an exemption for counties with 600,000 or more people where existing local laws would continue to apply.

Who It Affects

• Voters in Alabama – face a longer period during which they cannot register before elections and will be served by a centralized online voter list that aims to improve accuracy and accessibility.
• Boards of registrars/counties – must enforce the 17-day registration cutoff (except in large counties), keep offices open during the period, and electronically update the statewide list.
• Secretary of State and state agencies (including the Department of Public Safety) – must maintain and publish the centralized list online, coordinate data to remove deceased voters, and support registrars in entering data.
• Political parties – will receive electronic copies of the voter list after elections, with additional copies available upon request.

Key Provisions

• Extend prohibition on registering any person as a qualified elector from 10 to 17 days prior to any election.
• Maintain registrar offices open during the 17-day period and on election day during voting hours.
• County exemption: counties with population of 600,000 or more are not subject to the new deadline due to existing local laws.
• Create a nondiscriminatory, single, uniform, centralized, interactive computerized statewide voter registration list published by the Secretary of State on or before the 20th day prior to each election.
• List must contain name, address, voting location, and other necessary information; assign a unique identifier to each legally registered voter; include voting history.
• Coordinate with the Department of Public Safety's driver license database to help remove deceased voters.
• Election officials may access the list electronically; registrar data must be entered into the list promptly.
• Secretary of State must provide support to registrars to enter data.
• The list serves as the official voter registration list for all elections.
• After elections, the Secretary of State must provide electronic copies of the list to qualifying political parties, with up to two additional copies available on request.

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

Subjects

Voter Registration