HB197 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Thomas JacksonRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Absentee voting, authorize without providing excuse, Secs. 17-11-3, 17-11-7 am'd.

Summary

HB197 would allow registered Alabama voters to vote absentee without needing an excuse.

What This Bill Does

It amends sections 17-11-3 and 17-11-7 to authorize no-excuse absentee voting, expanding who can vote by mail, hand delivery, or carrier as determined by the Secretary of State. Voters must apply in writing at least five days before the election and still meet one or more specified circumstances (such as being out of the county/state, illness, long work shifts, being a student outside the county, military or related status, being an election worker, caregiving, or incarceration under certain conditions). The bill preserves existing mechanisms for military voters, emergency absentee ballots, and related procedures, and adds emergency-rule provisions and a safeguard against counting multiple ballots without proper contest processes. It also keeps affidavit requirements and penalties for false information and outlines ballot handling rules to prevent improper counting.

Who It Affects

• All qualified Alabama electors would become eligible to vote absentee without needing an excuse, expanding access to absentee voting.
• Specific groups that commonly use absentee voting (such as students studying outside their home county, military members and their spouses, caregivers, election workers assigned away from their home polling place, and voters with illness, long work shifts, or certain incarceration circumstances) would still qualify under the bill's listed conditions.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 17-11-3 and 17-11-7 to authorize no-excuse absentee voting for qualified electors.
• Requires a written absentee application filed at least five days before the election and eligibility based on enumerated circumstances (out-of-county/state, illness, long work shift, student outside county, military-related, election officer assignment, caregiver, or certain incarceration).
• Ballots may be returned by mail, hand delivery, or commercial carrier as determined by the Secretary of State.
• Retains special provisions for military voters (federal postcard application) and for emergency absentee ballots, including physician-certified emergencies when five days before an election apply.
• Empowers the Secretary of State to adopt emergency rules during states of emergency with costs borne by the state.
• Prevents counting multiple absentee ballots cast in the name of one voter unless a contest resolves otherwise; outlines affidavit requirements and penalties for providing false information.

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

Subjects

Absentee Voting