State Requests Dismissal of Lawsuit Over Law’s Effective Date
Alabama’s Attorney General’s office has clarified that a recently passed state law expanding the list of felonies that disqualify individuals from voting will not affect the upcoming 2024 election. In a court filing on Friday, the state requested the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the law’s implementation date, stating that the Alabama Constitution prohibits new election laws from taking effect within six months of a general election.
Lawsuit Filed to Clarify Law’s Impact
The clarification came after the Campaign Legal Center filed a lawsuit last month in Montgomery Circuit Court seeking to confirm that the new law, set to take effect on October 1, would not be enforced during the November 2024 election. The center argued that the lack of clear guidance from the state could create confusion for both voters and registrars, leading to uncertainty over who is eligible to vote.
Alabama’s New Felony Voting Law
House Bill 100 (HB100) expands the list of crimes that result in the loss of voting rights by including convictions for attempting, soliciting, or conspiring to commit any of the more than 40 crimes currently on the list. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two men with past convictions for attempted murder who would lose their voting rights under the new law.
In response to the lawsuit, the state assured that the men would be allowed to vote in the upcoming election. However, it clarified that after the November 2024 election, they would be disqualified unless their voting rights were restored through the proper legal channels.
Attorney General’s Memo on Enforcement
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall reinforced the state’s stance with an August 7 memo to district attorneys, advising that the law should not be enforced until after the 2024 election. Marshall emphasized that the law would be “vigorously enforced” in all future elections.
