Alabamians will soon have a better organized, less racist state constitution.
About 76.5% of voters on Tuesday approved a reorganization of the 1901 Constitution of Alabama and its nearly 1,000 amendments. The changes remove racist language, including an outdated ban on interracial marriage, organize amendments by the counties they impact and grouping together economic development provisions.
Then-Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, sponsored the legislation that started the recompilation process in 2020.
“We want to grow our economy in the state of Alabama,” Coleman said last month. “But to grow that economy, we have to send a message that all people are welcome.”
The new document goes into effect Jan. 1.
Separately, all 10 of the statewide constitutional amendments on Tuesday’s ballot were approved. Those include giving judges more flexibility in denying bail to defendants charged in violent crimes and making it easier for municipalities to spend federal grant money on broadband internet infrastructure.
Read in more detail about what the amendments do below.