Michele Toomey has been indicted for allegedly committing election fraud in Mobile County.
On Monday, Secretary of State Wes Allen voiced his displeasure with the three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals for recently denying a request to stay a partial preliminary injunction on Alabama's ballot harvesting law, which the legislature passed in March.
A three-judge panel of judges on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday denied a requested stay of a partial preliminary injunction on Alabama’s new ballot harvesting law.
On Friday, Chief U.S. District Judge David Proctor kept a partial preliminary injunction on a new ballot harvesting law passed by the legislature in March in place.
Chief U.S. District Judge David Proctor on Tuesday granted a partial preliminary injunction on a new ballot harvesting law passed by the legislature in March.
"This does send the message that people are watching. The Secretary of State's office is watching, the Attorney General's office is watching. And I mean, I hope that people get the message that this is very serious. We take election integrity very seriously.”
Although the announcement of the seven-count indictment of Democrat Clay County Commission candidate Terry Andrew Heflin on voter fraud on Wednesday is an accusation and Heflin has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle) argued that the indictment showed Kiel and Allen were right to pursue the law's passage.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Wednesday the arrest of Terry Andrew Heflin, the Democrat candidate for District 5 of the Clay County Commission, on seven felony counts of voter fraud.
For decades, non-profit groups in Alabama have helped citizens prepare and turn in their absentee ballots during elections. Although the groups claim to be nonpartisan, many take sides on political issues and voice concerns over policies.
It has been over a year and a half since Conecuh County Sheriff Republican candidate Mike Blackmon filed an election contest following a recount that found Democrat Sheriff Randy Brock won the race by one vote.
The Department of Justice intervened in a lawsuit filed by liberal groups against the state of Alabama’s new ballot harvesting law.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said he was “especially proud” of a new ballot harvesting law and four other bills passed by the legislature during the 2024 session.
A coalition of left-wing groups last week filed a motion requesting a federal court block a new anti-ballot harvesting law recently passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed by Gov. Kay Ivey.
The ACLU, NAACP and other groups filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday against Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Alabama’s 42 District Attorneys and Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen to block the recently enacted Senate Bill 1, which increased penalties for ballot harvesting in Alabama.
Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation banning ballot harvesting into law on Wednesday.
Tuesday was a banner day for conservative priorities at the Alabama State House.
The contentious bill restricting ballot harvesting in Alabama cleared the Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday.
Legislation increasing penalties on ballot harvesting in Alabama passed the State Senate on Tuesday by a 27-8 margin along party lines.
Legislation banning ballot harvesting in Alabama will be considered by the State Senate this week.
As the contentious 2024 presidential election looms, Alabama Senate Republicans are hoping to outlaw ballot harvesting in one of the first bills put forward this session.
Republicans in the Alabama Legislature are expected to take up a bill to increase the penalties for ballot harvesting in Alabama early in the 2024 session.
Since 2020, over half of the states have passed legislation that will be in effect for 2024, some strengthening election integrity and some making even further expansions of mail-in voting and ballot harvesting.
Controversial ballot harvesting legislation that caused significant stir in the 2023 regular legislative session has already been pre-filed for the 2024 legislation.
According to former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, greater community involvement will help keep elections more secure.
Kiel said the legislation would help crack down on ballot harvesting and shore up the most vulnerable aspect of Alabama’s elections.
House Bill 209 (HB209), legislation sponsored by State Rep. Jamie Kiel (R-Russellville), which would have cracked down on ballot harvesting, did not get a vote on the State Senate floor last week before the 2023 legislative session ended.
Sine die came and went without House Bill 209 (HB209), legislation that would have cracked down on so-called ballot harvesting, getting a vote on the State Senate floor.