Better tools for managing and mapping voting districts will be available across Alabama within the next year.
Geographic Information System services for the purpose of districting voters and administering elections will be ready for use in all 67 Alabama counties, Secretary of State Wes Allen said Tuesday.
“Utilizing GIS for voter district assignment and precinct assignment is highly accurate when compared to paper mapping and drawing,” Allen said in a written statement. “We are proud to utilize these funds to assist our local election officials on whom the security and accuracy of our elections depend.”
Sixteen of Alabama’s counties already utilize GIS services and Allen’s office is using federal funds to pay for the fee for 51 additional counties through July 31, 2025. The total cost is $1.13 million, Allen’s office told Alabama Daily News.
The system is not expected to be available in all 67 counties prior to the March 5 primary election, but should be operational by the end of 2024, Secretary of State spokeswoman Faith Pierce said.
“It’s a win for Alabama that we can extend GIS services for voter districting and election management to new counties in Alabama and ease the financial burden for counties that already have them,” Allen said.
Voters in multiple legislative districts were given incorrect ballots in 2022, impacting at least three House races.