Alabama Senate Votes on Party-Registration Bill

0:00It's April 9th. This is Birmingham News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Alabama Senate is voting today on a bill that would force voters to register with the political party before jumping into that party's primary or before runoff. It's House Bill 541, sponsored by Republican rep Ernie Yarbrough, and it already cleared the House. The change kicks in January 1st, 2027, skipping the 2026 elections. Right now, Alabama runs open primaries, meaning anybody can pick a party's ballot on election day. But under this bill, you need to declare a party ahead of time, with a 60-day blackout period before primaries where you can't switch. Affiliations, and in past this party, lawmakers expect pushback from Democrats, and even some Republicans who aren't sold on closing the primaries. Senate pro Tim Garland-Gudger, one reporter's yesterday, that the session's final day would get a little spicy with debates heating up. The vote's happening on the last day of the legislative session, so timing's tight.

1:04If the Senate passes it without changes, it heads straight to Governor Kay Ivey's desk. Any amendments mean it bounces back to the House for approval. Keep an eye on Montgomery today, because this could reshape how independence and switch voters play in Alabama's future primaries.