By Sydney Babb
Nov. 3 2024 | 7:15pm CDT
Alabama has historically recorded some of the lowest voter turnout rates in U.S. elections,
with only 37% of eligible voters participating in the 2022 midterms. This placed the state
fifth from the bottom in the United States for voter turnout.
Several controversial factors may contribute, including noncompetitive elections, restrictive
voting laws, and the absence of early voting in the state.
According to the Pew Research Center the 2024 presidential campaign will be one of the most
hotly contested elections in the history of the United States. Consequently, questions arise about
why Alabama has such low voter turnout.
Auburn University junior Dre Gaines suggested many Alabama employers don’t “really allow
people off work just to go vote and things of that nature,” when he was asked what he thought
about Alabama’s failure have early voting other than absentee ballots.
Over the past 200 years, the right to vote has been a hard-fought goal for women and people of
color in the United States. The first significant step toward expanding voting rights came with
the 15th Amendment, passed in 1869 and ratified in 1870, which mandated no person could be
denied the right to vote based on race. The next major advancement was the 19th Amendment in
1920, granting women the right to vote—though this primarily applied to white women, leaving
many women of color still fighting for suffrage.
By the 1960s, many people in the South began to challenge the unfair voting requirements that,
through loopholes, kept African Americans, the illiterate, and those with low income or lack of
education from the polls. In response, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act in 1965, requiring
states to submit changes to election laws to the U.S. Department of Justice for approval.
When the U.S. Congress passed the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the United States and the rest of the
world had witnessed what is now known as “Bloody Sunday,” the historic March 7, 1965, Selma
to Montgomery march, though every member of Alabama’s congressional delegation said no to
the bill that would give all people the right to vote.
In 1975, Congress expanded the Voting Rights Act to include members of language minority
groups, and in 1982, further amended to protect the elderly and people with disabilities. 1993,
Congress enacted the "Motor Voter" law, allowing citizens to register to vote at the same time
they applied for a driver's license.Following the controversial Presidential 2000 election, Congress passed the "Help America Vote
Act" in 2002, mandating states to replace outdated election equipment, create statewide voter
registration lists, and improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
After nearly 200 years of activism for voting rights, things shifted in 2013. In June of that year,
the Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County v. Holder, striking down Section 5 of the Voting
Rights Act. This decision removed the requirement for states to seek federal approval for
changes to voting laws.
Given the sacrifices many Americans made to secure voting rights, it raises the question: Why
does Alabama take this right for granted? Two intertwined explanations are the lack of early
voting and the confusing nature of absentee ballots, both of which narrow the opportunities for
voters to cast their ballots.
Dr. Mitchell Brown, the Cutis Lyle Endowed Professor of Political Science at Auburn University
and member of the National Association of Elected Officials, noted that even with her
background in election administration, absentee ballots can be challenging.
“Because I travel across the country for work, I tend to vote absentee. The process in Alabama is
pretty challenging. I struggle every time I request an absentee ballot and meet the deadlines with
the postal service and my own schedule,” Dr. Brown said.
“We don’t make the convenience of voting an option here. With absentee voting, you have to get
the ballot and then have a couple of people sign it when you return it,” said Dr. Aistrup, an
Auburn University professor and also a member of the National Association of Elected Officials.
Looking at 18-year-olds in the Generation Z population entering eligibility for this year’s
presidential election, their voting patterns may reflect confusion and hesitance about
participating in the electoral process.
Rae Nawrocki, an Auburn University student and first-time voter, helping a peer student
complete his absentee ballot was overly complicated.
“He was very confused about it. He almost didn’t vote because it was so confusing. I think it’s
just a lot of paperwork and information that can be overwhelming for many people, especially
young people who don’t always have the time,” Nawrocki said.
Lack of clarity on ballot issues might also affect young voters. The combination of complex
ballots and tight deadlines can discourage first-time voters who have not been educated on the
process.“I am registered now, but I am unlikely to vote in November. I’m kind of a procrastinator and
waited too long to do anything about an absentee ballot. I don’t feel like I know the local issues
as well as I do back home,” said Auburn student Rett Krome.
Another factor contributing to low turnout is noncompetitive elections. Alabama is known for its
consistent Republican majority in all elections.
“When you look at your ballot and see that everyone is from the same party in uncontested
elections, it’s not very interesting. If we know we’re not a swing state, we won’t be a swing state,
so major party candidates don’t focus their resources on Alabama,” Dr. Brown added.
“Party competition in the state is pretty low. As a result, without competition, many people do
not turn out to vote, so a little bit of competition could dramatically increase turnout,” Dr.
Aistrup said.
Despite the low voter turnout in Alabama, many across the country are concerned about the
integrity of election administration following former President Donald Trump's claims of fraud
after the 2020 election.
Also, in Alabama as elsewhere, former President Donald Trump's claims of fraud after the 2020
election fostered concerns about election integrity.
Organizations like the National Association of Elected Officials help quell fears of voter fraud.
“There were more than 60 court cases in battleground states, and none were found to have any
merit. I sincerely doubt there was any election fraud across the U.S.,” Dr. Aistrup said.
The work of organizations like the National Association of Elected Officials bolsters election
integrity. The Center for Election Administration conducts training for poll volunteers on the
ethics and history of election administration.
Finding a balance between protecting the polling process and ensuring access for all eligible
voters can be challenging. For example, Alabama Senate Bill SB1 introduced a misdemeanor
charge for returning another person’s ballot or tampering with it. This raises questions about how
individuals who need assistance due to disabilities or literacy issues can legally cast their ballots.
Dr. Brown emphasized, “We want a secure process with integrity while ensuring access for
everyone legally eligible to vote. The challenge for any government is how to create rules that do
not infringe on the rights of individuals with diverse backgrounds and needs.”
Simplified Summary
Alabama has very low voter turnout. In 2022, only 37% of eligible voters voted. Reasons include no early voting, confusing absentee voting, and elections where one party almost always wins. Many workers in Alabama also can’t get time off to vote. Auburn student Dre Gaines said employers don’t always make it easy. Voting rights were hard to win in the U.S. The 15th Amendment gave Black men the right to vote in 1870, and the 19th Amendment gave women the right in 1920. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 protected voters, but a 2013 court decision weakened those rules. Voting by absentee ballot is difficult in Alabama. Even experts like Dr. Brown say it’s confusing. Students like Rae Nawrocki and Rett Krome said paperwork and deadlines made it hard for young people to vote. Another reason people don’t vote is because elections aren’t close. Alabama usually votes for the same party, so people feel their votes don’t matter. After the 2020 election, some worried about fraud. But Dr. Aistrup said there was no real evidence of cheating. Groups like the National Association of Elected Officials help keep elections fair. New voting laws, like Senate Bill 1, add rules about returning ballots. Experts say Alabama needs to balance making elections safe and making it easier for everyone to vote.
