HB173 Alabama 2019 Session

Under existing law, the right to vote a secret ballot is inviolate

This bill would prohibit an individual from taking a picture of another voter's ballot or otherwise revealing the contents of another voter's ballot at any polling place

This bill would provide penalties for violations

This bill would also provide that if a voter has posted an image of his or her own ballot contents electronically, any retransmittal of that image is not a violation

Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment

Relating to elections; to add Section 17-9-50.1 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to prohibit an individual from taking a photograph or otherwise revealing the contents of another voter's ballot at any polling place; to provide that a violation is a Class C misdemeanor; and in connection therewith would have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended.