HB528 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Allen Farley

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Elections, to prohibit judge of probate, sheriff, and circuit clerk from serving on appointing board in certain circumstances, to prohibit circuit clerk or other individual from serving as absentee election manager in certain circumstances, Secs. 17-8-3, 17-11-2, 17-11-12, 17-11-13, 17-11-15 am'd.

Summary

HB528 would broaden election-conflict rules to bar certain local officials and their close family members from election-board roles or absentee-ballot duties when they or their relatives run for office with opposition.

What This Bill Does

It expands prohibitions so that not only the judge of probate, sheriff, and circuit court clerk, but also their parent, child, spouse, or sibling, cannot serve on the appointing board if they are candidates with opposition in the county. It also extends the absentee election manager prohibition to the circuit clerk or other designated managers if they or their close family members are candidates with opposition in the county or municipality where they would serve, and requires appointing replacement when needed. In municipal elections, it adds similar rules for town clerks, city clerks, or other officers handling absentee ballots if they or their relatives are candidates with opposition in the municipality. The bill includes nonsubstantive updates to current code language and sets an effective date after the Governor signs.

Who It Affects

• Judges of probate, sheriffs, and circuit court clerks in counties (they cannot serve on the appointing board when they are candidates with opposition).
• Immediate family members (parents, children, spouses, siblings) of those officials who are themselves candidates with opposition in the county (they cannot serve on the appointing board).
• Circuit clerks and other designated absentee-election managers (and their family members) who would handle absentee ballots in a county or municipality where they or their relatives are candidates with opposition (they cannot serve as absentee election manager).
• Municipal clerks (town clerks or city clerks) and other officers handling absentee ballots in municipal elections, and their relatives, if they are candidates with opposition in the municipality.

Key Provisions

• Amends §17-8-3 to prohibit the judge of probate, sheriff, or circuit clerk from serving on the appointing board when they are a candidate with opposition, and requires the judge of probate to certify the candidacy to the appointing board.
• Adds prohibitions in §17-8-3 for the parent, child, spouse, or sibling of those officials to serve on the appointing board under the same conditions (candidacy with opposition in the county).
• Amends §17-11-2 and §17-11-13 to prohibit the circuit clerk or other absentee-election manager from serving if they or their close family members are candidates with opposition, and requires the appointing board to appoint a replacement absentee manager when disqualified.
• Amends §17-11-15 (municipal elections) to prohibit town clerks, city clerks, or other officers from handling absentee ballots if they or their relatives are candidates with opposition in the municipality, necessitating a replacement appointment where applicable.
• Includes nonsubstantive technical revisions to update language to current style and establishes the act’s effective date as the first day of the third month after the Governor signs the bill.

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