HB90 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Alan BakerRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Board of Registrars, guidelines revised, diverse appointments required, ineligibility for service, compensation revised, hours of operation, Sec. 17-3-2, 17-3-3, 17-3-4, 17-3-5, 17-3-8 am'd.

Summary

The bill changes how Alabama's county Boards of Registrars are appointed, operated, and paid, with new vacancy rules and required hour tracking.

What This Bill Does

Appointees to the Board of Registrars would serve at the pleasure of the appointing authorities, and the Secretary of State would revise registrar guidelines to include a detailed job description and minimum qualifications. If a registrar is removed for cause, they would be ineligible for reappointment for a specified time, and the Secretary of State could fill vacancies under defined conditions. Registrar compensation and travel would be clarified; the board would operate during the same hours as the county courthouse, and registrars' hours would be tracked and reported, with potential for extra hours near elections. The bill maintains local control features like operating hours and meeting/session rules, and requires appointment decisions to consider diversity across race, gender, urban/rural status, and economic background.

Who It Affects

• Registrars and the County Boards of Registrars: changes to how they are appointed, removed, compensated, and required to track their hours.
• State and County government entities (Secretary of State, the joint appointing authorities, and county commissions): responsibilities for appointing, filling vacancies, setting guidelines, funding, and hour-tracking procedures.

Key Provisions

• Appointees to the Board of Registrars serve at the pleasure of the appointing authorities, with coordinated appointments to enhance diversity (racial, gender, urban/rural, and economic).
• The Secretary of State, with unanimous consent of the appointing authorities, shall prescribe guidelines for registrars, including a detailed job description and minimum qualifications.
• A registrar removed for cause is ineligible for reappointment for the duration of the term in which the removal occurred; the Secretary of State may fill vacancies under specified conditions.
• Registrar compensation is clarified; the board must be open during the same hours as the county courthouse; registrars must track and report hours worked; travel and holiday compensation are addressed, with funds flowing through counties to registrars.
• Special sessions and meeting day limits are provided for, including notice requirements and the possibility of additional days for special registration sessions; the actual number of working days is set by county-specific provisions.

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