The Alabama Legislature adjourned its regular session on April 9 after enacting 14 election-related bills, all of which Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed.
Among those bills was HB 95, which requires post-election audits. Under the new law, each county judge of probate is required to order a post-election audit after every countywide and statewide general election of all ballots in one precinct from a statewide or countywide race. The judge of probate must report all audit findings to the secretary of state, who must post the results online.
The Alabama House of Representatives approved the bill 72-25 on Jan. 15. The Senate passed the bill on March 31, sending it to the governor’s desk on a 22-7 vote. Both chambers unanimously adopted an executive amendment, and Ivey signed the bill on April 8.
Alabama also enacted HB 214, becoming the 19th state to ban foreign nationals from making campaign contributions to candidates and ballot measure campaigns. Previously, Alabama was one of 13 states with no state-level restrictions on foreign contributions.
The bill was passed unanimously by both chambers of the legislature, and Ivey signed it into law on March 17. It takes effect on Oct. 1, 2026.
Additionally, lawmakers approved SB 92, which prohibits campaigns from accepting credit card contributions unless the billing address is in the United States or the donor is a U.S. citizen living abroad.
Other election-related bills enacted in 2026 include:
- HB 67, which caps the fee that can be charged to obtain the electronic voter list at $1,000.
- HB 178, which allows voters to propose a referendum on whether to consolidate city school systems.
- HB 380, which proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow voters to propose a referendum on whether to consolidate county school districts.
- SB 24, which requires the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles to post information online about how individuals convicted of a felony may regain their right to vote. The board must also create an online form for a person convicted of a felony to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote.
- SB 42, which establishes that if a candidate does not win a majority of votes cast in an election for a municipal office, a runoff election will be held for the top two candidates with the most votes.
- SB 165, which requires persons filing a statement of candidacy for a municipal board of education office to pay a filing fee and sets filing fees for certain local offices.
- SB 271, which proposes a constitutional amendment that would establish procedures for special elections to fill a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor.
- SB 230, which allows candidates to use campaign funds to pay for security-related expenses.
Alabama enacted four election-related bills in 2025, six in 2024, and 10 in 2023. Legislators introduced 43 election bills in 2026, 15 more than in 2025.