Time Is Running Out for Election Integrity in Alabama — Pass HB30 Now

Guest Opinion by Angela Shepherd

As Alabama's 2025 Regular Legislative Session races toward its final day on May 14, one bill stands on the brink of either becoming a pivotal advancement for election integrity or dying silently in the Alabama Senate. That bill is HB30, the Post-Election Audit Act. Its passage is not only timely—it's essential.

Let's be clear: HB30 is not a partisan gimmick or bureaucratic overreach. It's a common-sense measure requiring counties to conduct post-election audits after every general election. This simple, transparent process would verify vote accuracy—a safeguard that the vast majority of states have already embraced.

So why is Alabama, despite being a supermajority Republican state and supposedly a champion of election security, still lagging behind?

The truth is more frustrating than complicated: politics and procedural delays threaten to kill a bill with widespread support from voters and leaders. Consider the facts:

    •    Post-election audits have been a top legislative priority of the Alabama Republican Party for the past two years.

    •    The bill has passed the House twice, yet keeps stalling in the Senate.

    •    It has the backing of key Republican figures, such as State Auditor Andrew Sorrelland Secretary of State Wes Allen.

    •    It builds on the success of Act 2021-446, a post-election audit pilot program after the 2022 General Election, which received positive feedback.

    •    The state fully covers the cost, so counties are not burdened.

    •    Polling data shows it has bipartisan support among citizens.

    •    Experts from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Election Systems & Software have long recommended audits as a best practice.

    •    Meanwhile, many of Alabama's voting machines are over 15 years old.

And yet, HB30 still teeters on the edge.

This isn't just about another bill dying in the Senate. It's about Alabama's reputation. When 40+ other states conduct post-election audits and we do not, we become an outlier, not a leader.

With only one legislative day left, every moment counts. If our legislators are genuinely committed to election security, not just rhetorical commitment, they must act now. HB30 is vetted, needed, and long overdue.

Let it not be said that Alabama had the chance to improve confidence in our elections—and chose not to.

Call your senator. Urge a vote. Demand action. HB30 deserves to become law.

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