Senate Bill 283 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bobby D. SingletonSenator

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Elections, provide for election of associate justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the appellate courts, constitutional amendment

Summary

SB283 would shift the election of Alabama Supreme Court associate justices and appellate court judges from statewide elections to district-based elections, starting with the 2028 General Election.

What This Bill Does

It would amend Section 152 of the Alabama Constitution to require district-based elections for associate justices of the Alabama Supreme Court and judges of the Courts of Appeal, with districts to be determined by the Legislature. The first district-based elections would occur in the 2028 General Election, and the process would use the state’s existing election laws (Sections 284 and 285). If the amendment is ratified, the Code Commissioner would number and place it in the constitution and may perform nonsubstantive revisions (style and formatting). The amendment becomes valid only if a majority of qualified electors voting on the measure approve it.

Who It Affects

• Voters in Alabama: starting in 2028, they would vote for these judges by district rather than in statewide contests.
• Candidates for the Supreme Court associate justice seats and appellate court seats: would run for district-based seats as determined by the Legislature, potentially changing who can compete in each district.

Key Provisions

• Section 152(a) currently requires judges to be elected by electors within their territorial jurisdiction; subsection (b) provides that starting with the 2028 General Election, associate justices and appellate judges will be elected by district as determined by the Legislature.
• Starting in 2028, the method of electing these judges will be by district rather than by the entire state's electors.
• An election on the proposed amendment would be held under Sections 284 and 285 of the Constitution and the state’s election laws, with ballot language offering Yes/No choices.
• If approved, the amendment becomes part of the Alabama Constitution and would take effect after ratification; the Code Commissioner may perform nonsubstantive revisions to style and citations.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.