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SB165 • 2026

Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption

Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption

Education Elections Taxes
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Jones (A)
Last action
2026-04-17
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
2026-04-16

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify additional documentation requirements beyond a tax return, so this claim was removed.

Municipal Elections Fee Requirements

This law sets qualification fees for candidates running in municipal elections and allows indigent candidates to be exempt from these fees if they provide proof of their financial status.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets a $500 qualifying fee for mayoral candidates when filing a statement of candidacy.
  • Sets a $250 qualifying fee for city council and board of education candidates when filing a statement of candidacy.
  • Exempts indigent candidates from paying the qualification fees if their most recent tax return shows they have an income not exceeding 130% of the federal poverty level.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Candidates running for mayor, city council, and board of education in Class 4 municipalities with a mayor-council form of government.

Terms To Know

Indigent
A person who is very poor or unable to pay for basic needs without financial help from others.
Qualifying fee
Money that a candidate must pay when filing their candidacy papers in order to be officially recognized as a candidate.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if an indigent candidate cannot provide the required documentation.
  • It is unclear how this will affect candidates who are just below or above the income threshold for fee exemption.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-17 Senate

    Enacted

  2. 2026-04-08 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1289 (Yeas 79, Nays 0)

  3. 2026-04-08 House

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 91, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-04-08 Senate

    Delivered to Governor

  5. 2026-04-08 House

    Signature Requested

  6. 2026-04-08 Senate

    Enrolled

  7. 2026-04-08 Senate

    Ready to Enroll

  8. 2026-03-11 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  9. 2026-03-11 House

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  10. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 611 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  11. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  12. 2026-02-25 House

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  13. 2026-02-25 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on County and Municipal Government

  14. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Carried Over to the Call of the Chair

  15. 2026-01-20 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  16. 2026-01-20 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  17. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  18. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on County and Municipal Government

Official Summary Text

This act amends Section 11-43B-4, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to Class 4 municipalities with a mayor-council form of government, to: (1) require candidates for a municipal board of education to pay a qualifying fee when filing a statement of candidacy; (2) provide the qualifying fees for mayoral candidates is $500 and for city council and board of education candidates is $250; and (3) exempt indigent candidates for these positions from qualifying fees if their most recent tax return evidences the candidate has a gross income not exceeding 130 percent of the federal poverty level.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB165 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB165
YMEKWN6-2
By Senator Jones
RFD: County and Municipal Government
First Read: 14-Jan-26
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SB165 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 14-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to elections; to amend Section 11-43B-4, Code
of Alabama 1975; to further provide for qualification fees for
municipal elections in certain Class 4 municipalities; to
require indigent candidates to submit certain documentation to
qualify for fee exemptions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 11-43B-4, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§11-43B-4
(a) The initial elections provided for herein in this
chapter , and all subsequent elections, shall be conducted, the
vote canvassed, the results declared, and those elected assume
the duties of their offices in the same manner as provided by
the general law of the state pertaining to municipal elections
for mayor-council forms of government, except as otherwise
provided by state statute.
(b)(1) The mayor shall be elected by the whole of the
electors of the city and shall have been a resident of the
city for at least 90 days prior to his or her election.
(2) Council members shall be elected by the electors of
the district which they represent , and shall have been
residents of the district which they represent for at least 90
days prior to their election.
(c)(1) Any person individual desiring to become a
candidate for mayor , or council member , or member of the
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SB165 Enrolled
Page 2
candidate for mayor , or council member , or member of the
municipal board of education must, at the time of filing a
statement of candidacy, shall pay to the city clerk the
qualifying fee to be set by ordinance. Notwithstanding Section
11-46-2, the qualifying fee for mayoral candidates shall be
five hundred dollars ($500), and the qualifying fee for
council member and municipal board of education member
candidates shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
(2) If any person individual desiring to become a
candidate for mayor , or council member , or member of the
municipal board of education is financially unable to pay the
filing fee, then that person individual shall be exempted from
the fee upon attesting that the individual has a gross income
that does not exceed 130 percent of the federal poverty level
and filing with the city clerk a copy of the individual's most
recent federal tax return. verified statements from three city
electors that said candidate is indigent and not financially
capable of paying the fee .
(d) Within 30 days after the election, every candidate
shall file with the city clerk a sworn statement of all
election campaign expenses and of each person individual ,
firm, or corporation which has contributed funds, itemized for
all expenditures and contributions of one hundred dollars
($100.00) or more."
Section 2. This act shall become effective immediately.
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SB165 Enrolled
Page 3
Section 2. This act shall become effective immediately.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB165
Senate 25-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Passed: 08-Apr-26
By: Senator Jones
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