HB82 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Debbie Wood

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Boards of Registrars; qualifications of registrars revised; salary increased

Summary

HB82 would revise boards of registrars’ qualifications and appointment, raise registrar pay, set operating hours and annual meeting limits for counties, and update related administrative rules.

What This Bill Does

It changes how registrars are chosen by adding diversity considerations to the appointment process and requiring new minimum qualifications. It increases registrar pay from $80 to $150 per day and outlines how those payments and travel reimbursements are funded. It updates the registrar qualifications to include residency, education, and computer/data skills, and it establishes county-specific maximum days registrars may meet each fiscal year along with required hours of operation. It also includes some non-substantive language updates and sets an effective date of October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Registrars and their families: new qualification requirements and a higher daily salary ($150) for days worked, plus potential health insurance benefits for long-serving registrars and Social Security considerations.
• Counties, county commissions, and state agencies: must implement the new appointment/diversity rules, fund and reimburse registrar travel and expenses, set and adjust operating hours, and manage county-by-county session day limits and open-hours requirements.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Appointment and diversity—Starting October 1, 2025, the state board of appointment must consider racial, gender, urban/rural, and economic diversity in county appointments, with a three-member county board for each county established to handle appointments.
• Provision 2: Registrar qualifications—Registrars must be qualified electors, residents of the county, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and demonstrate computer, map-reading, data processing, communication, and office equipment skills.
• Provision 3: Salary and payments—Each registrar receives $150 per day for days worked, with payments processed through the state Comptroller to county commissions and then to registrars; mileage and travel expenses are reimbursed; health insurance eligibility and Social Security treatment are addressed, and counties may not reduce existing county supplements due to this act.
• Provision 4: Operating hours and annual days—The act sets maximum working days per fiscal year by county (with many county-specific limits), requires open hours aligned with courthouse hours or regular hours, and requires a registrar or staff to be present during those hours; special registration sessions are allowed with notifications.
• Provision 5: Effective date and amendments—The act becomes effective October 1, 2025 and includes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update language; certain large counties have exemptions or special provisions.

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, Voting, & Campaigns