On June 24, the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee approved a resolution that puts the party on record in favor of changing Alabama election laws to ask voters to choose a party on voter registration forms. The resolution was approved on a voice vote, and it was not unanimous, but there is no recorded vote.
Alabama, like most states in the South, has never had registration by party.
“Alabama, like most states in the South, has never had registration by party.”:
Not true; Alabama used to have registration by party at least as recently as 1992.
In any case, if Republicans want to keep non-Republicans from voting in their primary, they should pay for it themselves. Perhaps then only dues paying Republicans can vote in their primary which would be administered by the party, not by the state.
#1, what is your basis for saying that? I have been collecting registration by party data since 1980 and I never had any reason to believe Alabama ever had it. I have the 1987 election code and the 1991 pocket part listing changes since 1987, and the Voter Registration chapter says nothing about registration by party on the form.
#2- o rly? is wrong about party registration in Alabama. He/she may be getting the concept under Alabama law that if you vote in a party primary then you are ‘swearing’ you will vote for that party in the general election confused with actual party registration.
#1.like Richard Winger, “what is your basis for saying that Alabama used to have registration by party at least as recently as 1992.” I think “o rly” may be confusing the fact that the GOP in Alabama did have a private internal “party registration” list of sorts. It was not an official party registration managed by the election officials as we normally think of. It also may be like “bruno” suggests that “o rly” is getting the concept that under Alabama law that if you vote in a party primary then you are ‘swearing’ (giving a loyalty pledge)you will vote for that party in the general election confused with actual party registration. Even the Democrats have this “loyalty” provision in their primary elections.
On the other side of this coin, I welcome party registration in Alabama – as long as it will also allow for Independents such as I to register as such and register under that label – not this “NPA” or “Unaffiliated” garbage. I hope GOP officials continue to press for it. One of the best ways to get a 3rd party better recognized is for the state to allow its members to publicly and officially enroll into it. However, I hope that with such registration, they will keep the primaries “open” and allow anyone to vote in either one. But knowing those Republican boys in Alabama the way I do, they don’t want that. They want a party where they can control who votes in the primary and who can’t.
Keep us posted on this Richard.
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When I first registered in Alabama in the early 90s there was a registration by party, as that was one of the questions they asked meote to register to v. They did away with that some time after that.
With all respect, Alabama has never had party registration. Granted, one has to declare in which party primary you choose to vote. However, the state has never had party registration.
The resolution on party registration passed in a close vote. In the past, Governor Bentley has opposed party registration. I do not expect to see party registration adopted in Alabama
Yes, I think John Killian is correct about any state-regulated party registation in Alabama. I too am a registered voter in Alabama and do not recall being asked what party I was a member of. My registration card makes no reference to any political party. I think “Paulie” is confused by the fact that election officials at the precinct during the primary elections, do ask the voters which party primary they wish to vote in. They record which party primary was chosen and it may be possible the party leadership has access to such list. Richard might know. If this is what “Paulie” is referring to, then this is as close to party registration Alabama has, but even then it is not an official document to declare someone as an official member of a particular political party.
Party registration lists = PURGE lists.
How many party registration lists in 1860-1865 during the horrific mass murder Civil War ???
Gee – was being an Elephant in a rebel slave State in 1861-1865 sort of FATAL to life, liberty and property ???
NO mad dog extremists in 2012 wanting to PURGE the members of some other party ???
See France 1789-1799 (before Napoleon took over), Russia 1917, Germany 1933, Spain 1936, China 1949, etc. etc. etc.
The U.S.A. is magically immune from such history stuff ???
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P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
Not sure why my name is in “quotes” and when I registered in the early 90s at the Tuscaloosa Library they asked me what party I wanted to register with. I was not voting at that time and did not say anything about whether I was planning on voting in a primary.
Later on when I registered voters myself the form did not ask for that.
I meant register to vote @10 above.
@8 I was not claiming that it is a current practice. I was talking about 20 years ago.
@8 The American Civil War – bloodiest war in history of mankind?
Proportional representation = peaceful, non violent decision-making system.
IRV = Single-winner district egomaniac power grabber attractor of arrogant anti-opposite gender, party bossy types.
As Alabama independent stated if this voter registration does not include all parties or allow me to register as an independent, I will not support it. If it does allow independent registration, who will have access to those who wish to register as independents? I found it odd that this bill once added to the special calendar carried the same bill number as the ballot access bill SB15. I did have a conversation with the sponsor Senator Scott Beason and he is willing to talk about the bill with us minor party/ independent supporters.