Alabama enacts new restrictions on absentee ballot requests

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama has placed new restrictions on assistance with absentee ballot requests, making it illegal to return another person’s ballot application and making it a felony to pay someone to distribute or collect applications.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced she had signed the bill into law a day after it was given final approval in the Alabama Legislature.

“Here in Alabama, we are committed to ensuring our elections are free and fair,” Ivey said in a statement Wednesday. “Under my watch, there will be no funny business in Alabama elections.”

Republicans in the Alabama Legislature had named the bill as a key priority for the year and aimed to get it in place before the November election. Republicans said it is needed to combat voter fraud through “ballot harvesting,” a term for the collection of multiple absentee ballots. Democrats argued that there is no proof that ballot harvesting exists and called it an attempt to suppress voting by absentee ballot.

“It’s just another voter suppression. It’s just a means of suppressing certain people from having the ability and right to access to the free flowing of the vote,” Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton said during debate Tuesday afternoon.

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