Curbside voting ban faces scrutiny from Alabama Senate Democrats

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama Democrats stalled a bill on the Senate floor Thursday that would ban curbside voting in the state.

Curbside voting allows someone to vote without going inside of a polling location. Renewed efforts for the bill came after the coronavirus pandemic sparked an increased interest in curbside voting in Alabama.

The U.S. Supreme Court said last year that Alabama could not provide curbside voting. However, this bill would make the ban official in state law.

Democrats believe the effort to ban curbside voting is a barrier for people with disabilities to vote.

“Let Alabama be the leader of the nation in trying to do everything to make the voting process an open, fair, accessible process that we know is safe and secure,” said Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, on the Senate floor.

Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Birmingham, would prefer voters place their own ballots in the machine.

“Wouldn’t you agree that’s the most secure way to vote?” Roberts said. “We’re ensuring that each vote is counted accurately, honestly, and independently from any poll worker or third party.”

Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, expressed concern that lawmakers were rushing to change the voting laws when he believes the state’s voting system works in it’s current form.

“I would suggest that we be very, very cautious,” Albritton said on the floor.

Pushback from Democrats stopped the Senate from voting on the bill Thursday but lawmakers could bring it up at another date.

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