Yellowhammer Times

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey recently signed into law House Bill 285, which will ban election administrators from setting up curbside voting booths and prohibit the presence of active booths anywhere except an approved polling location.

Ivey's office recently assured voters that, in keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act, handicap-accessible voting machines will remain a staple in election locations. The exception goes in accordance with the requirement of absentee offices as required by the act, for which voters with qualifying disabilities may apply. 

The ban follows last year’s election, considered to be different from the previous elections due to a significantly higher number of absent voters, primarily as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Madison County, absentee voter figures increased more than 300% compared to 2016. 

Ivey signed AL HB285 on the last day of the session, after passing in the House and Senate along partisan lines. In addition to the ban, Ivey also signed Rep. Rod Scott's (D-Fairfield) bill to reform the county boards of registrars’ process of readjusting voting polls for individuals who have moved. 

Last year, Alabama civil rights groups sued the state for not providing voting options to accommodate for the COVID-19 pandemic. A federal judge ruled in favor of curbside voting, but the Supreme Court sided with Alabama's appeal of the 11th Circuit decision, according to the Associated Press.

Secretary of State John H. Merrill argued that banning curbside voting is necessary to ensure the accurate, honest, and independent submission of every ballot.

"Since taking office, we have always prioritized securing the chain of ballot custody. By keeping the ballot in the hands of the voter, we ensure each vote is counted accurately, honestly and independently from any poll worker or third party,” Merrill said in a statement.

Sen. Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook) recently stated that Alabama’s ban on curbside voting was instituted “to ensure future elections and their integrity.” Republicans deem the voting method a threat to ballot security, while Democrats consider the measure to be secure and conveniently accessible for voters. 

“Our freedom of speech is rooted in our ability to vote, and a strong election process is what sets our democracy apart from every other country in the world,” Ivey said in a press release. “I appreciate the bipartisan efforts of Rep. (Wes) Allen and Rep. Scott to ensure Alabama’s election process remains free, fair and highly ethical.”