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Laws governing ballot measures in Alabama
From Ballotpedia
This page provides an overview of resources addressing the laws and procedures that govern statewide and local ballot measures in Alabama, including constitutional amendments, signature requirements, recall procedures, and campaign finance regulations.
Explore the links below for more information:
- Types of ballot measures in Alabama
- Amending the Alabama Constitution
- Laws governing local ballot measures in Alabama
- Laws governing recall in Alabama
- Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Alabama
- Campaign finance requirements for Alabama ballot measures
- Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Alabama
Laws governing ballot measures in Alabama
Types of ballot measures in Alabama
- In Alabama, citizens do not have the power to initiate ballot measures at the state level.
- In Alabama, the state legislature can refer constitutional amendments and constitutional convention questions to the ballot.
Amending the Alabama Constitution
- Alabama became a state in 1819. The current state constitution was ratified in 2022.
- The Alabama Constitution can be amended in two ways:
- Legislatively referred constitutional amendment: The state legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot, with a 60% vote in each legislative chamber.
- Convention-referred constitutional amendment: A state constitutional convention can vote to refer constitutional changes to the ballot.
- Under Article XVIII, Section 284.01 of the Alabama Constitution, some constitutional amendments affect only one county in the state. Those amendments are placed on the ballot only in that county for approval.
Laws governing local ballot measures in Alabama
- There is no mention of the powers of initiative and referendum in the Alabama Constitution.
- Authority for the referendum power is found in Section 11-3A-6 of the state laws.[1]
Laws governing recall in Alabama
- Alabama does not allow the recall of elected officials.
- The law that governs the conduct of local political recalls in Alabama is Ala. Code §11-44-130 through 11-44-134. Under these statutes, municipal commissioners and mayors are subject to recall. Because Alabama's law governing recall only applies to municipalities with a commission form of government, only commission form cities in the state have the power of recall.
Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Alabama
- According to the Alabama Constitution, a simple majority vote in each chamber of the legislature during one legislative session is required to send a constitutional convention question to voters.
- A simple majority vote by the electorate is required to call the convention.
Campaign finance requirements for Alabama ballot measures
- PACs that support or oppose ballot measures in Alabama must register and report campaign finance.
Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Alabama
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
As of September 2025, the Alabama State Legislature had not passed legislation that changed the laws governing ballot measures in 2025.
See also
Footnotes
