HB204 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tommy Hanes

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Elections, county canvassing board to conduct post-election audit, November 2020 general election

Summary

HB204 would require a one-time, hand-conducted post-election audit of Alabama's November 3, 2020 statewide general election and would require the Secretary of State to publish a list of voters removed from registration during a specific period for purchase.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, every county canvassing board must carry out a hand audit of the 2020 election, preserve ballots and related materials until December 31, 2022, and complete the audit by August 31, 2022. The audit includes examining ballots at each polling location for every office on the ballot, with security, observers, and public posting of results. Separately, the Secretary of State would publish for purchase a list of names of voters removed from the registration rolls between December 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021, including the reason for each removal, with results posted to official channels.

Who It Affects

• County canvassing boards and election staff (judge of probate, circuit clerk, sheriff) who must conduct the audit, preserve ballots, ensure security, and publish results.
• Voters removed from registration between December 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021, whose removal information will be published for purchase, along with the general public and press who will have access to audit results (with privacy protections).

Key Provisions

• The canvassing board of each county must conduct a one-time post-election audit of the November 3, 2020 statewide general election, preserving ballots and related materials until December 31, 2022 and completing the audit by August 31, 2022.
• The audit must be conducted by hand for each polling location and for each office on the ballot; ballots must be opened and necessary materials provided under a court order.
• The sheriff must secure the audit facility and prevent unauthorized access to ballots, oaths, voter lists, and other records during the audit.
• Poll watchers may be appointed by political parties or organizations with up to 50 watchers per county; watchers must be qualified electors and may observe counting, absentee ballots, oaths, and other records.
• An Attorney General representative must be present during the audit; members of the press may access the audit but may not publish or disseminate voters’ names.
• Audit expenses will be reimbursed to counties; federal funds may be used to assist with reimbursements.
• Audit results must be posted at the courthouse and transmitted to the Secretary of State for posting on the SOS website.
• The Secretary of State must publish for purchase a complete list of registered voters removed between December 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021, including the removal reasons, by May 31, 2022.
• The removal list may use data sources including the Election Registration Information Center and must indicate which removals were based on information from that source.
• The act becomes effective immediately after passage and approval by the Governor.

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