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Voters chat after voting at The Dwelling Place on Redstone Road on Nov. 4, 2014 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz / eschultz@al.com)
( (Eric Schultz / eschultz@al.com))
Alabama voters would not have to give a reason for voting absentee under a bill that passed the state Senate last week.
Current law requires voters to sign an affidavit attached to the ballot that affirms their identity and gives one of the following reasons for voting absentee: out of town on election day; physically incapacitated; working all day while the polls are open; attending college in another county; being an armed services member or the spouse or dependent of one.
The bill, by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, would eliminate the requirement to give a reason and the requirement to have two witnesses or a notary public sign the identifying affidavit.
Smitherman's bill would add one new requirement. Voters would have to include a copy of a photo ID with their application for an absentee ballot. They already have to do that with the ballot itself, but not with the application.
Smitherman said the changes would increase voter participation.
"It's just about making it more convenient for our citizens to vote and having a more secure procedure," he said.
Smitherman said the requirement for a photo ID with the ballot application would increase security and would eliminate the need for the witness signatures on the ballot.
State lawmakers return today to begin the final 11 days of the legislative session, which must end by May 22.
The House Ways and Means Education Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the education budget Wednesday and to vote on the budget Thursday.
Secretary of State John Merrill's office suggested to Smitherman that he propose the changes in the absentee ballot law.
Smitherman's original bill would have required each county to set up a site for early voting that would have been open at least five days during the 14-day period before an election.
Smitherman said his intent was to increase voter participation, but that counties were concerned about the cost of setting up early voting sites.
Merrill said he believes the absentee voting changes would achieve Smitherman's intent of making it easier to vote.
He said he believed it would strengthen the absentee voting law.
"The only instances of voter fraud that we've identified in the state have to do with absentee ballots," Merrill said.
Merrill said the requirement to give a reason for absentee voting is not meaningful.
"In most instances, it's simply for convenience, and everybody knows that," Merrill said.
Smitherman's bill passed the Senate by a vote of 25-3. It moves to the House of Representatives.