HB262 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Sam JonesRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Electronic poll books, provide further for the use of and provide for reimbursement of costs relating to acquisition and use of electronic poll books, Secs. 17-4-2.1, 17-16-2 am'd.

Summary

HB262 would expand use and funding for electronic poll books in Alabama by allowing counties and municipalities to purchase or lease SOS-certified poll books, set standards for their use, and reimburse related costs.

What This Bill Does

It allows counties and municipalities to purchase or lease electronic poll books certified by the Secretary of State and to use them until they adopt a different certified poll book, with certain exceptions. It establishes certification criteria and operational requirements for poll books (including security, compatibility with the statewide voter list, data recovery, voter information handling, and a 10-day pre-election data loading restriction). It creates a reimbursement framework to cover acquisition, maintenance, and related costs, including training and travel for absentee election managers, and includes protections for existing poll books against decertification for nine years with a 12-month notice if decertification is needed for other reasons; the act becomes effective immediately upon governor's approval.

Who It Affects

• Counties and municipalities (including county commissions and judges of probate, and municipal governing bodies) would be authorized to purchase or lease and use SOS-certified electronic poll books and seek reimbursement for related costs.
• Election officials and staff (including clerks and absentee election managers) would be subject to certification criteria and data handling rules, and would benefit from defined reimbursement for training, travel, and other election-related expenses tied to electronic poll books.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes purchase or lease and use of SOS-certified electronic poll books by counties and municipalities until a different certified book is adopted.
• Sets certification criteria for poll books: security, compatibility with the statewide voter registration system, data recovery, parity with printed lists, recording absentee status, voter check-in with signatures, ability to upload voter history, data retention/archiving, and primary election data export; prohibits use for provisional ballots not in the book.
• Provides protections against decertification: cannot decertify a book within nine years of purchase/lease unless criteria 1-9 are violated; requires 12-month notice for decertification prompted by issues other than irreparable election integrity problems.
• Requires data not to be populated in the poll book until 10 days before an election; SOS to issue instructions and rules for use.
• Defines reimbursable expenses to include purchase/lease and maintenance of poll books, software updates, data population costs, training and travel for absentee election managers, ballots and related materials, lists of qualified electors, and notices related to elections; funding may come from state/federal funds, county general funds, or municipal general funds as reimbursed.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective immediately after passage and governor's approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elections