Election Day could become a state holiday in Alabama under a bill filed in the state legislature this month.
The Tuesday after the first Monday in November would become a state holiday in Alabama during years with a presidential or gubernatorial election, under a pre-filed bill, HB 64.
The bill was filed earlier this month by Rep. Ontario Tillman, D-Bessemer.
“It’s very difficult for some people to get there and they have to kind of do a number of things,” Tillman told the Alabama Reflector. “So my position is, why not just make it a holiday?”
Alabama saw its lowest voter turnout rates this year since 1988 when President George Bush ran against Michael Dukakis. This year, 58.8 % of registered voters turned out, compared to 56% in 1988.
In this year’s legislative session, state lawmakers continued efforts from previous years to restrict voting by passing legislation criminalizing payment for collecting absentee ballots, despite questions about whether this often occurs.
Tillman said the state should make it easier, not harder, to vote.
“I think as elected officials it is incumbent upon us to make sure that we can expand access to voting and make sure people can participate in the voting process.”
