Alabama House Democrats' bill to end straight-ticket voting draws ire of Democratic leader

A Democratic lawmaker’s newly-filed bill to eliminate straight-ticket voting led a powerful figure in the state Democratic Party to threaten to “excommunicate” supporters if the bill passes.

HB 575, sponsored by Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, would eliminate an option on Alabama ballots that allows voters to choose a party’s entire slate of candidates with a single ballot mark. Alabama is one of five states that uses the voting system, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

A message seeking comment from Moore was left Monday morning. Joe Reed, the vice chair of minority affairs for the Alabama Democratic Party, recently sent a letter to members of the party saying that eliminating the method could hurt Democrats.

“This letter comes to inform you that there are some political shenanigans going on that threaten the future of the Democratic Party in general and Black voters in particular,” Reed wrote. “To eliminate straight voting will be the death nail of what is left of the Democratic Party.”



https://alabamareflector.com/2026/03/10/alabama-house-democrats-bill-to-end-straight-ticket-voting-draws-ire-of-democratic-leader/