HB546 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Matt Fridy

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

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

Summary

HB546 would require voters to be registered members of a party to receive and vote that party's primary ballot, while unaffiliated voters could vote only in nonpartisan items and ballot measures; it also requires the Secretary of State to maintain party designations on voter registrations.

What This Bill Does

If passed, a voter must be a registered member of the party to vote in that party's primary and must have been registered for 14 days before the primary. A voter can vote only for the party's candidates, while unaffiliated voters can participate only in nonpartisan races and ballot measures. The bill also prohibits changing party registration between a primary and a runoff, and the Secretary of State would create rules to implement these changes and maintain party designation on voter registration forms.

Who It Affects

• Voters who participate in primaries: must be registered members of the party to vote in that party's primary and meet the 14-day requirement; cannot switch parties between the primary and runoff.
• Unaffiliated voters and voters not affiliated with a party: can vote in primaries only for nonpartisan races and on ballot measures, not for party-specific candidates.

Key Provisions

• A voter must be a registered member of the party to vote in that party's primary and must have been continuously registered for 14 days immediately preceding the primary.
• An elector may not vote for candidates of a party other than the one they are registered with, but unaffiliated voters may vote in nonpartisan races and on ballot measures.
• A voter may not change party registration between a primary election and a primary runoff election.
• The Secretary of State may promulgate rules to implement these provisions.
• The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and approval.

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