MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Members of the Fair Ballot Commission met at the Alabama State Capitol on Tuesday morning to draft the language for the four constitutional amendments on the ballot in November’s general election.
A tedious process at times, the commission is tasked with writing a ballot statement that sums up the proposed amendments in simple language.
Commission Chair Patrick Moody said the commission has a hard job in writing easily understable statements that don’t try to sway voters’ opinions.
“The Fair Ballot Commission was created by the Legislature quite a few years ago to provide a simple, nonpartisan statement that voters can understand what a yes or no would do, and the goal of the commission was to try to write those eighth grade reading levels,” Moody said. “That was an average reading level for the voters in the state.”
Members weighed wording and structure, often altering details as small as commas and prepositions, to make the amendments digestible for voters. The commission is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds, including a large number of lawyers.
The four ballot statements written by the commission on Tuesday will be posted on the secretary of state’s website this week, Moody said. Polling places will also hang them for voters to review on election day. Only the text of the statewide ballot measure itself, not the commission’s summaries, appear on the ballot.
Here are the four constitutional amendments voters will decide on Nov. 3.
Amendment 1: lieutenant governor
The first amendment on the ballot has to do with Alabama’s second in command: the lieutenant governor. It would create a mechanism for replacing the lieutenant governor more quickly if the office becomes vacant.
Currently, the state constitution has a provision for replacing both the governor and lieutenant governor in a situation where both offices are vacant at the same time. But it doesn’t consider a scenario where the lieutenant governor’s seat is vacant because he or she replaces the governor, dies, resigns or is removed from office.
The amendment would allow the state to select a new lieutenant governor in a presidential election year so long as the office becomes vacant more than 60 days before the election. Alabama elects all of its state legislators and statewide constitutional officers during off election years, typically referred to as the midterms.
If enacted, the amendment would also authorize the Legislature to set the salary of the lieutenant governor and other officers of the Legislature – like the speaker of the house and the presidents pro tempore of both chambers – by joint resolution.
The amendment would also require each chamber’s elected officers to approve any spending of legislative funds for members’ travel.
Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, introduced the amendment during this year’s legislative session via Senate Bill 271.
Amendment 2: county school systems combining
The second proposed amendment would allow two or more contiguous county school districts to merge into a single district.
Neighboring county school boards would have to pass a resolution to agree to consolidate. The state Board of Education would then be required to conduct and publish an impact study before a merger could move forward.
If at least 25% of registered voters living in the affected districts file a written protest, the proposed merger would go to a vote of the people living in those districts. The merger could then be approved by a simple majority of voters.
Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, introduced the amendment this year via House Bill 380.
The proposal came as some Alabama school districts lose enrollment and operate with fewer than 1,000 students – the enrollment number lawmakers pointed to for examples of districts that could benefit from consolidation.
An Alabama Daily News investigation previously found seven county districts with fewer than 1,000 students are Choctaw County, Marengo County, Greene County, Sumter County, Coosa County, Perry County and Barbour County.
Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, also passed legislation this session that allows city school districts to consolidate. That law did not alter the Alabama Constitution.
Amendment 3: school pledge and prayer
The third amendment on the ballot in November would require local school boards to adopt policies about the Pledge of Allegiance and student-initiated prayer.
Public K-12 schools would be required to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance and establish time for student-led prayer at the beginning of the school day. Student participation in both would be voluntary.
Any violations of the policies, like requiring student participation or not facilitating time for either, would be reported to and reviewed by the local superintendent of education.
Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, introduced the amendment during the 2026 session via House Bill 511.
Amendment 4: Star Spangled Banner
The final amendment on the ballot deals with the national anthem.
If passed, it would require local school boards to adopt policies to mandate all K-12 public schools to “broadcast or sanction the performance” of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner during the school day at least weekly.
Schools could play a recording or opt for a live performance.
Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, introduced the amendment this year through Senate Bill 5.
The general election is Nov. 3. Sample ballots with the constitutional amendment summaries will be available later this week on the secretary of state’s website.