The Alabama House of Representatives will tackle legislation mandating post-election audits when it returns from break on Tuesday, voting on the amended bill seeking final passage for the third year in a row.
Despite receiving broad support from lawmakers and the state Republican Party, the bill has failed to pass in the previous two legislative sessions.
This year's version, House Bill 30 (HB30), requires the probate judge of each county to order a post-election audit after every county and statewide general election of all ballots in one precinct of a countywide or statewide race, selected by the canvassing board of each county, so long as that election is not subject to a recount.
State Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley), the bill's sponsor, said the bill's purpose was to verify the accuracy of voting tabulators.
The bill was initially filed in 2023 after Angela Shepherd, a Lee County resident and former poll watcher who assisted in advancing the legislation, encountered issues with the voting machines.
During the 2022 election cycle, a video shot by Shepard went viral of a tabulation machine accepting multiple copies of the same rough-cut paper ballot during a public test.
State Rep. Paul Lee (R-Dothan) offered several amendments in committee, which passed and will be engrossed into a substitute that will come before the House. The House has already placed HB30 on Tuesday's special order calendar, meaning the House will vote on it before going to the Senate for deliberation.
Wood told 1819 News that the amendments "definitely strengthen the bill."
The bill requires the canvassing board of each county to select one precinct, excluding absentee and provisional ballots, at noon on the second Friday after any county and statewide general election, and either one statewide or countywide race to be audited by the judge of probate. The amendments require the race to be chosen at random.
The amendments also require the post-election audit to be conducted and completed by the time election returns are required to be sent to the Secretary of State for certification.
The initial bill stated, "The judge of probate may conduct the post-election audit by manual tally or by use of precinct ballot counters or other counters previously tested, certified, and sealed according to the procedures for testing and certification of precinct ballot counters prior to the election. The ballot counter or counters shall have been sealed and not used for voting during the election subject to the audit."
The amended bill allows the audit to be done by manual tally or by use of ballot counters, provided that at least 30 randomly selected ballots are individually and manually examined and compared to the ballot counter result.
To begin the audit process, the custodian of the ballot containers will deliver unopened and sealed ballot containers, along with any other necessary election materials, in their original containers to the inspectors in charge of the audit.
The results would then be delivered to the secretary of state and posted on the office's official website. The posted results would describe any discrepancies discovered and any corrective recommendations.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
