SB405 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Scott Beason

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Phillip W. WilliamsRusty Glover

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Elections, party registration required in primary elections, Secretary of State maintain voters affiliation on voter registration form

Summary

SB405 would require voters to be registered members of a political party with a 90-day requirement to vote in that party's primary, while unaffiliated voters could only participate in nonpartisan primaries, and the Secretary of State would maintain party designations on voter registrations.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, starting with the 2016 primary elections, a person must be a registered member of the party whose primary they seek to vote in and have been registered for that party for 90 days before the primary. A person may not vote in a different party's primary. Unaffiliated voters would be allowed to vote only in nonpartisan races in a primary. The Secretary of State would maintain each voter's party designation on the official voter registration form and set up rules to implement these provisions; the party designation requirement would be added to voter registration forms by a specified deadline.

Who It Affects

• Voters who are registered members of a political party would need to maintain 90 days of party registration before a primary in order to vote in that party's primary.
• Unaffiliated voters would be restricted to nonpartisan races in primary elections and could not vote in partisan primaries.

Key Provisions

• Effective beginning with the 2016 primary election, voters must be a registered member of the party whose primary they seek to vote in and must have been registered as that party for 90 days immediately preceding the primary.
• No person may vote in a primary for a party's candidates or slate that is different from the party of which they are registered.
• Any registered voter, including independents or members of other political groups, may vote in all non-partisan races within a primary.
• The Secretary of State must maintain the party designation on the official voter registration application and prescribe the party designation by November 1, 2013; the Secretary of State may promulgate rules to implement these provisions.

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