Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

The Alabama Legislature made one small change to increase poll worker pay in the state, and it refrained from enacting any new anti-voter restrictions this past year. However, the state also suffered a major setback in election security as Secretary Allen removed the state from ERIC last year. Therefore, Alabama received a C on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Alabama Started at the Beginning of 2023

• Automatic Voter Registration: No
• Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
• Same-Day Registration: No
• Restoration of Rights: Some Permanent Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: Excuse-Only
• Electronic Registration Information Center Member: Yes
• Early Voting Opportunities: No
• ID Requirements: ID Requested, but not Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Alabama as of 2022, we considered the state a bottom tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2023 activity against other bottom tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2022): 45th
• EPI Score (2020): 41st
• CLC State Scorecard (2022): 2/10 
• MAP Democracy Policy Tally (2022): LOW

2023: This Past Year

Legislative Action

The Alabama Legislature avoided enacting additional anti-voter policies and even managed to implement legislation to increase election worker pay.

• H 435 raises the minimum daily pay for election clerks and inspectors.

Executive Action

• Last year, Secretary of State Allen followed through on his plans to leave ERIC and announced the state had withdrawn from the organization on his first day in office.
• Secretary of State Allen also discontinued the state’s “Vote for Alabama” mobile voter app that allowed qualified individuals to register to vote and find out information about their local polling place. The app was launched in 2016 by Allen’s predecessor as a way to make it easier for eligible Alabamians to register to vote.