Read the full stored bill text
HB272 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB272
XD3CIZ7-1
By Representative Carns
RFD: Constitution, Campaigns and Elections
First Read: 15-Jan-26
1
2
3
4
5
XD3CIZ7-1 01/15/2026 JWB (L)bm 2026-98
Page 1
First Read: 15-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a judge of probate is
required to publish the list of voters in a newspaper
with general circulation in the county.
This bill would, if the cost of publication
exceeds a certain threshold amount, authorize a judge
of probate to publish the list of voters by alternative
means.
This bill would establish the threshold amount
that would authorize the judge of probate to
disseminate the voter list by alternative means.
This bill would require that, beginning in 2030,
the threshold amount would increase with the change in
the Consumer Price Index.
This bill would also prohibit a newspaper
publisher, until 2030, from charging more to publish
the voter list than the publisher charged in relation
to the 2024 General Election.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to voter lists; to amend Section 17-4-1, Code
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
HB272 INTRODUCED
Page 2
Relating to voter lists; to amend Section 17-4-1, Code
of Alabama 1975; to authorize a judge of probate to publish
the list of voters by alternative means; to establish the
threshold amount that would authorize the judge of probate to
disseminate the voter list by alternative means; to require
the threshold amount to increase with the change in the
Consumer Price Index; and to prohibit a newspaper publisher,
until 2030, from charging more to publish the voter list than
the publisher charged in relation to the 2024 General
Election.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 17-4-1, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§17-4-1
(a) The judge of probate shall publish from the state
voter registration list a correct alphabetical list of
qualified electors either by county, precinct, district, or
subdivision wherein each elector is registered to vote, in
somea newspaper with general circulation in the county, on or
before the twentieth 20th day preceding the regularly scheduled
primary election.
(b) The list shall be accompanied by a include the
following information:
(1) A printed certification generated by the state
voter registration system verifying that the list contains the
names of all qualified electors registered as of the specified
time and date when it was printed.
(2) The list shall further state A statement advising
that any elector whose name was inadvertently omitted from the
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
HB272 INTRODUCED
Page 3
that any elector whose name was inadvertently omitted from the
list shall have 10 days in which to have his or her name
entered upon the list of qualified voters. If within 10 days
any voter shall reasonably satisfy the board of registrars by
proper proof that any name should be added to the list, the
board shall add suchthe name to the list.
(c) The supplemental list of registered voters
inadvertently omitted from the original list shall be
published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the
county on or before the seventh day preceding the date of the
primary election.
(d) If the cost to publish any individual list required
by this section exceeds the threshold amount provided in
subsection (e), the judge of probate may fulfill the
requirements of this section by:
(1) Performing all of the following actions:
a. Posting the list for review in conspicuous locations
in no less than three public buildings within the county.
b. Making the list available at a reasonable cost from
the office of the judge of probate.
c. Posting an alphabetical list of qualified electors
from the state voter registration list on the website operated
by the county commission or, if the county commission does not
operate a website, on the website of the Association of County
Commissions of Alabama. The list may be organized by county,
precinct, district, or other political subdivision where the
elector is registered to vote.
d. Placing a display advertisement at least one-half
page in size once a week for two consecutive weeks in a
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
HB272 INTRODUCED
Page 4
page in size once a week for two consecutive weeks in a
newspaper with general circulation in the county which meets
the requirements of Section 6-8-60 and at a rate that complies
with Section 6-8-64.
(2) The lists required to be published pursuant to this
section may be published, at At the discretion of the county
commission, publishing the lists as a preprinted or inserted
advertising supplement at a cost no greater than the selected
newspaper's lowest applicable national insertion rates charged
for comparably sized preprinted supplements . If the list is
published as a preprinted supplement in the selected
newspaper, the supplement size shall conform to the size
requirements set by the selected newspaper and shall be
printed on standard newsprint paper. The type size shall be no
smaller than nine point standard type. The list shall also be
delivered to the newspaper for insertion in a manner required
for other advertising supplements. The supplement may not
contain any other advertising. Any newspaper accepting a
preprinted insertion that is not prepared by the newspaper
shall not be responsible for the content of suchthe insertion.
(e)(1) Before December 31, 2029, the threshold amount
under subsection (d) shall be forty thousand dollars
($40,000).
(2)a. Beginning January 1, 2030, and annually
thereafter, the Secretary of State shall increase the
threshold amount under subsection (d) by the same percentage
increase as the change in the Consumer Price Index, or its
successor, as published by the United States Department of
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each adjustment shall be
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
HB272 INTRODUCED
Page 5
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each adjustment shall be
calculated based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for
the preceding 12-month period ending on December 31.
b. Any increase in the threshold amount shall be
rounded to the nearest thousand dollars ($1000). Any amount in
excess of the rounded dollar amount shall be considered when
calculating the increase in the threshold amount for the
subsequent year.
(f)(1) Before December 31, 2029, no newspaper publisher
may charge more for publishing the lists required under this
section than the amount that the publisher charged for
publishing the lists for the 2024 General Election.
(2)a. Beginning January 1, 2030, a newspaper publisher
may increase the cost of publication, on January 1 of each
year, by the same percentage increase as the change in the
Consumer Price Index, or its successor, as published by the
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Each adjustment shall be calculated based on the change in the
Consumer Price Index for the preceding 12-month period ending
on December 31.
b. Any increase in the threshold amount shall be
rounded to the nearest thousand dollars ($1000). Any amount in
excess of the rounded dollar amount shall be considered when
calculating the increase in the threshold amount for the
subsequent year.
(g)(1) Nothing in this section shall prohibit newspaper
publishers from decreasing the cost charged to publish the
lists required under this section.
(2) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a judge of
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
HB272 INTRODUCED
Page 6
(2) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a judge of
probate from negotiating with a newspaper publisher to publish
the lists at a rate lower than the amounts set forth in this
section.
(3) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a judge of
probate or county commission from publishing the list of
voters , preprinted insert, or display advertisement in more
than one newspaper within the county at the county
commission's discretion."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150