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HB 97

Absentee ballots; opportunity to correct affidavit envelope of defects provided

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Kenyatté Hassell

Alabama bill adds cure process allowing absentee voters to correct defective ballot envelopes before rejection, expanding ballot access for eligible voters.

Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Constitution, Campaigns and Elections
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Bill Summary · HB 97

Legislative bill overview

HB 97 would allow voters who submit absentee ballots with defective affidavit envelopes to be notified of the problem and given an opportunity to correct the defect before their ballot is rejected. This creates a "cure" process similar to provisional ballot procedures used in many states, giving voters a second chance to ensure their ballot counts.

Why is this important

Absentee ballot rejections due to technical defects (signature mismatches, missing information, etc.) can disenfranchise eligible voters through no fault of their own. Creating a cure window ensures more votes are counted and reduces the number of ballots invalidated for correctable administrative errors, which disproportionately affects certain voter populations.

Potential points of contention

  • Election administration burden: Poll workers and election officials would need resources and systems to identify defects, contact voters, and process corrections within tight timeframes
  • Deadline conflicts: Determining how much time voters have to cure defects while maintaining election security and meeting certification deadlines could be contentious
  • Standards inconsistency: Questions about what constitutes a "defect" worth curing versus a disqualifying problem, and whether standards will be applied uniformly across counties

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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