HB316 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

John W. Rogers

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to elections; to authorize a judge of probate to appoint one high school student to work as a precinct election official at each polling place in the county on election day; to provide qualifications for a student to serve as a precinct election official and allow the student to count any absence from school resulting from his or her service as a precinct election official as an excused absence.

Summary

HB316 would let a county judge of probate appoint one high school student per precinct to work as a precinct election official on election day, with qualifications and an excused-school-absence provision.

What This Bill Does

Allows a judge of probate in each county to appoint up to one high school student per precinct to serve as a precinct election official at every polling place on election day. Sets eligibility: the student must be in high school, reside in the county or municipality, and be enrolled in a public high school, an accredited private high school, or a home instruction program. Requires training and supervision by poll managers, and bars students from handling certain duties like determining voter qualifications or operating voting equipment. Provides that students who work 4+ hours during school hours on election day or during training can receive an excused absence from school. Takes effect on the first day of the third month after passage.

Who It Affects

• High school students in Alabama who may be appointed to serve as precinct election officials and the families of those students (through the excused absence provision).
• Judges of probate in Alabama counties, who would appoint at most one student per precinct and oversee the program.
• County election officials and poll managers, who would supervise student precinct election officials and assign their duties within allowed limits.
• Schools and school administrators, whose students may be excused from attendance if they work 4+ hours on election day or during training.

Key Provisions

• Not more than one student may be appointed for each precinct to serve as a precinct election official.
• Eligible student qualifications: be a high school student, be a resident of the county or municipality, and be enrolled in a public high school, an accredited private high school, or a home instruction program.
• Duties of student precinct election officials are determined by county/municipal election officials and may not include determining voter qualifications or operating/maintaining voting equipment.
• Student officials must be supervised by poll managers while performing duties and must attend required training, with additional training as deemed necessary.
• A student who works four or more hours in a day during school hours on Election Day or during training is entitled to an excused absence from school under Chapter 28 of Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975.
• The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after its passage and 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, high school students authorized to work as precinct election officials