A piece of legislation that would prohibit registering to vote within 30 days of an election died in an Alabama House committee today. Under current law adopted law year, a voter can register to vote within 14 days of an election. Rep. Jack Williams, R-Birmingham, said he sponsored the bill this session after speaking with the Jefferson County registrar who said it is difficult to get a poll list ready in 14 days due to small staffs.
Another lawmaker from Birmingham, Rep. Juandalynn Givan, a Democrat, spoke against the bill saying the 14-day time period was a compromise between both parties last year.
“I am sort of at a loss that you are bringing this back,” she said to Williams.
In previous years, black lawmakers had fought a bill that would close voter registration at 17 days prior to an election. They said the bill was an effort to disenfranchise and discourage voters.
Full Article: Legislation that would move up Alabama’s voter registration deadline by 16 days dies in committee | AL.com.