SB347 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Hank Sanders

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Voter registration, to allow persons to register up to and on date of election, Sec. 17-3-50 am'd.

Summary

SB347 would allow eligible voters to register up to and including election day, removing the current 10-day registration cutoff, with certain office-hour requirements and rules to be set by the Secretary of State.

What This Bill Does

The bill changes the registration rule to let people register on any day the county board of registrars maintains office hours, including the day of the election. It requires registrars to keep offices open during business days in the 10 days before an election and on election day during voting hours. The Secretary of State would be allowed to adopt rules to implement this change. Counties with populations of 600,000 or more are exempt from the new rule, and their existing deadlines stay in effect. The act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage.

Who It Affects

• Voters who want to register close to an election will have more opportunities to register (including election day) if they meet the office hours.
• Boards of registrars will need to keep offices open on the specified days and hours to process registrations.
• Counties with population of 600,000 or more are not affected by the new rule and will keep their current registration deadlines.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 17-3-50 to remove the prohibition on registering within 10 days prior to an election and allow registration on any day the board maintains office hours, including election day.
• Boards of registrars must maintain open offices on business days within the 10-day period before an election and on election day during voting hours.
• The Secretary of State may promulgate rules to implement the new registration provisions.
• counties with a population of at least 600,000 inhabitants are exempt from these changes; existing local laws about registration deadlines continue to apply in those counties.
• Effective date: the first day of the third month after the bill passes and is approved.

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

Subjects

Voters and Voting