Get the Daily News Digest in your inbox each morning. Sign Up

ALGOP, Legal Defense Fund and Biden admin all to closely monitor today’s election in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Today’s general election in Alabama will be closely monitored by a number of statewide and national entities, including the Alabama GOP, the civil rights organization Legal Defense Fund and the U.S. Justice Department, all seeking to ensure election integrity while also providing on-the-ground resources to address potential election-related issues.

“Election integrity isn’t a partisan issue but rather a principle rooted in protecting the voices of the American people,” ALGOP Chair John Wahl said in a statement Tuesday. “I want to see Alabama leading the way in election integrity and government transparency, and that’s what this project is all about.”

The ALGOP announced that it will be taking “unprecedented steps” to safeguard today’s election, launching what it called the “the most comprehensive poll watcher deployments in Alabama’s history.” The party’s efforts include more than 200 poll watchers stationed in voting districts across the state, along with dozens of election lawyers that will provide “immediate legal support” for voters facing election-related issues.

The ALGOP’s efforts to ensure election integrity come amid frequent comments by former President Donald Trump warning of potential voter fraud in the 2024 general election, claims that critics have characterized as attempts to lay the groundwork for challenging the election results should Vice President Kamala Harris win.

“Every voter should have confidence in our election process and trust in the system that upholds our constitutional republic for future generations,” Wahl continued. “This year’s deployment of trained poll watchers and legal experts sets a new standard for election integrity that I hope will be followed for years to come.”

While Trump and Harris are the top of the ticket today, the most-watched race in the state is the Second Congressional District contest between Republican Caroleene Dobson and Democrat Shomari Figures. It’s the most competitive November congressional race in the state in more than a decade.

The ALGOP won’t be the only organization with poll watches monitoring today’s election, with those from the Legal Defense Fund also strategically stationed throughout the state.

In conjunction with the Alabama Election Protection Coalition, the LDF will be closely monitoring and advocating against potential threats to ballot access, including voter intimidation and administrative issues such as last-minute poll site changes, with more than 100 volunteer non-partisan poll monitors visiting poll locations across the state.

“While much of this information is available on the Secretary of State’s website, some voters are not receiving this information,” Uruj Sheikh, Equal Justice Works fellow with the LDF, told Alabama Daily News Monday. “So we, along with our community partners, are ensuring that all voters have the information that they need to vote, and it offers a different touchpoint.”

Sheikh said that the voter integrity operation was the organization’s largest yet, and that the more than 100 poll monitors were all volunteers from Alabama. The LDF will also answer questions for voters via its text and call hotline, 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

And John Hutchins, assistant U.S. Attorney, will also be on duty in Alabama’s Southern District to oversee and respond to complaints about election-related issues, including threats to election officials and election fraud, coordinating with the U.S. Department of Justice to address any reports of interference, intimidation or fraud. FBI special agents will also be on the ground to respond to any potential illegal election-related issues.

“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” said U.S. Attorney Sean Costello in a statement when announcing the election day program. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

There are 3.87 million registered voters in Alabama. Voter turnout in the past four presidential elections was: 63% in 2020; 66.8% in 2016; 73.2% in 2012; and 73.8% in 2008.

While the Dobson and Figures contest is the headliner in Alabama, there are other significant, but less competitive decisions to be made today.

Republican Sarah Stewart and Democrat Greg Griffin are on the ballot to be the next chief justice and lead the Alabama Supreme Court. Stewart has traveled the state and had a primary contest in March while Griffin hasn’t campaigned heavily or raised significant money in the effort.

In Congressional District 1, incumbent Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, faces Democrat Tom Holmes. In District 7, incumbent Terry Sewell, D-Birmingham, is being challenged by Republican Robin Litaker.

There is one statewide constitutional amendment on the ballot. The entire state gets to vote on a school property issue that impacts a few counties. If approved, Amendment I will allow Franklin County Schools to sell land it owns in Fayette and Walker counties along Interstate-22.

The property is known as “16th Section Land,” property granted to school systems for their benefit by Congress more than a century ago.

Polls will be open today in Alabama between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Voters can confirm their voter registration status and polling location using the Alabama Secretary of State’s online lookup tool. To vote, Alabamians must carry specific types of photo identification.

Alabama Daily News’ Mary Sell contributed to this report.

Get the Daily News Digest in your inbox each morning.

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Web Development By Infomedia