BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville) has pre-filed two election integrity bills for consideration by the Alabama legislature when the regularly scheduled session begins on March 7. Both pieces of legislation seek to place existing administrative rules into statute, meaning that the election regulations could not be changed without legislative approval.
SB9 would require that the state’s electronic voting counting system must require the use of a paper ballot that is marked and inspected by the voter prior to being cast and counted.
“All Alabama elections currently use paper ballots,” Chambliss explained. “This bill would codify the current process to ensure that Alabama’s voters will always use paper ballots and that they will always mark those ballots in order to cast a vote in any election held in this state. This bill protects the process that we have in place now.”
Chambliss also pre-filed SB 10 which prohibits the use of electronic vote counting systems that are capable of connecting to the Internet or cell phone networks or that possess modem technology.
“It is essential that voters have faith in the integrity of our elections process. This bill would ensure that no voter ever has to be concerned about the internet connectivity of voting machines,” Chambliss explained. “By banning any form of connective technology in our vote counting machines, we are ensuring that our elections remain free of any technological interference.”
Chambliss noted that Alabama is recognized as having the most secure elections in the country and he has made a commitment to keep elections as safe and secure as possible.
“Every voter in every election in this state – municipal, county or state – should leave the polling place with the assurance that every vote is counted fairly and securely. These bills do just that,” he said.Sen
Chambliss serves as the Alabama Senate’s Majority Whip. He is currently serving his third term in the State Senate representing District 30 which covers Autauga, Elmore, Chilton, Coosa and Tallapoosa counties.
