MONTGOMERY — Legislation requiring post-election audits died in the Senate last week.
The bill passed the House by an 88-6 margin in April.
House Bill 259 (HB259), sponsored by State Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley), would require the probate judge of each county to conduct a post-election audit after every county and statewide general election to determine the accuracy of the initially reported election results.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 48 states conduct some type of post-election audit. Alabama and New Hampshire do not require post-election audits but piloted different audits in 2022.
“Most other states are doing this. We do think it’s important. We’ll see where it goes, but I definitely think we’re bringing it back for sure,” Angela Shepherd, an Auburn native and election integrity advocate, told 1819 News recently.
Wood told 1819 News in a recent interview she planned to bring the bill back in the 2025 session.
“It’s not about the poll workers. It’s not about them at all. It’s about the machines that we lease, we purchase, that we use in this state, that we are looking people in the eye and saying, ‘They all work. They’re not put to a computer so you don’t have to worry about any interference.’ They’re still programmed,” Wood said. “They’re programmed by the individual in the company. You have to put the names of the candidates on there. You have to change the districts when we change everything so we’re allowing someone to come into our state, program a machine, and we’re not willing to check behind them. That’s my issue.”
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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