SB148 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald O. Dial

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Voting, presidential elections, nominating petitions must be filed with Secretary of State no later than 82 days preceeding the elections, petitions filed with party chair 116 days before elections, names withdrawn within 76 days of elections, Secs. 17-13-102, 17-13-104, 17-13-105, 17-14-31 am'd.

Summary

SB148 tightens and expands deadlines for presidential/electoral candidacy petitions and nominations in Alabama, setting earlier filing and withdrawal dates and updating the certification process.

What This Bill Does

It requires petitions for presidential primary candidates to be filed with the state party chair 116 days before the primary, with a minimum of 500 signatures statewide or 50 signatures from each congressional district, including signer residency and a perjury affirmation. The party chair decides whether petitions are regular. It sets a withdrawal deadline of 76 days before the primary; if a candidate does not withdraw by then, their name will appear on the ballot. It requires parties to adopt resolutions at least 116 days before the primary describing how electors indicate preferences and how delegates are chosen and replaced, and it moves the certification deadline to 82 days before the election, with nominating petitions needing signatures from 5,000 voters and electors consenting to serve as electors.

Who It Affects

• Candidates seeking to appear on the presidential primary ballot, who must file petitions with the state party chair and may withdraw by the new deadline.
• Political parties, electors, and voters who sign petitions, as well as the Secretary of State, who will enforce the updated filing, withdrawal, nomination, and certification timelines.

Key Provisions

• Petition filing with the state party chair must occur 116 days before the presidential primary, with minimum signature requirements (500 statewide or 50 per congressional district), residency information, and a perjury affirmation; the chair decides petition regularity.
• Nomination and certification changes: parties must file a resolution 116 days before the primary outlining elector preferences and delegate rules; the Secretary of State must certify nominees by the 82nd day before the election, and nominating petitions require 5,000 voter signatures plus elector consent.

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