Third parties such as political operatives and campaign workers who collect and submit absentee or mail-in ballots in exchange for payment would be subject to prosecution, according to a bill passed by the Alabama Senate on Tuesday.

Practice of “”Ballot collection” was the first goal of Alabama Senate Republicans in the 2024 state legislative session. SB1The bill, introduced by state Sen. Garlan Gudger with support from Gov. Kay Ivey and Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, aims to remove “bad actors” from the state's election process.

“We protect Alabama voters from bad actors with rules that make it easier to vote and harder to cheat,” state Sen. Gudger (R-Cullman) said after the bill passed.

“Fraudsters have used ballot harvesting to prey on the integrity of our elections and manipulate voters. When the integrity of the process is called into question, the legitimacy of the results is also called into question. In Alabama, our elections will be transparent, traceable, and publicly verifiable.”

On Tuesday, the bill passed 27-8 after hours of Democratic opposition. The bill heads to the House, and if it passes the Senate, it would be a victory for Republicans, who first attempted to outlaw vote harvesting in 2023. State Rep. Jamie Keel (R-Russellville), who also introduced the 2023 bill, is leading the House. Efforts to get the bill to Governor Ivey's desk.

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“As a freshman in the Alabama House of Representatives, the first bill I passed was an election integrity measure, so I'm excited to see the Alabama Senate approve a bill to combat ballot harvesting,” said Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth. I understand the importance of this.”

“Alabama has a long history of voter fraud, with the majority of prosecutions and convictions related to absentee ballots. Partisan groups and individuals can collect, process, and in some cases alter countless absentee ballots. Doing so creates fraud and invites abuse.”

“With the passage of this bill, Alabamians can rest assured that an absentee ballot cast in good faith will be an absentee ballot counted in good faith,” Ainsworth said.

Under the law, it is a Class C felony for an individual to knowingly accept a payment or gift for engaging in any activity related to distributing or processing a voter's absentee ballot application. The bill also provides accommodations for U.S. citizens who vote absentee overseas, military personnel and their families, and voters who require assistance due to disabilities or literacy issues.

“Even if we vote differently, we all agree on protecting the integrity of Alabama's elections,” Governor Ivey said.

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“That's why I'm proud to support legislation that would ban ballot harvesting in our state. We intend to stop any manipulation of elections by closing loopholes that allow pressure to be applied.This year, we introduced new legislation to outlaw ballot harvesting, which also It also protects those who truly need support to make their voices heard,” Ivey said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed said he supports the goal of all members to protect the integrity of the election process and is proud that this bill passed the finish line in the Alabama Senate.

“The security of our elections is fundamental to the health of our democracy. Alabama has strong election laws and we want to make sure absentee ballots are processed and cast in an appropriate manner.” Sen. Reed (R-Jasper) said after the bill passed.

“We want to ensure that legitimate votes are protected and that those who seek to game the system cannot do so. I’m proud of the work Senate Republicans have done to ensure our values ​​remain intact.”

Grayson Everett is the state and politics editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270