Birmingham, Alabama – Several advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against Alabama state officials, challenging a recently enacted law that restricts access to voting. The groups argue that Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which criminalizes certain engagement measures related to absentee ballots, directly targets and penalizes activities that enable broader voting rights.
Signed into law last month, SB 1 makes it illegal to request or collect absentee ballots for anyone other than close relatives. It also criminalizes filling out or mailing an application or ballot on behalf of someone else. The bill specifically targets Alabamians who pay for assistance in the absentee ballot process, with potential felony charges and up to 20 years in prison as punishment.
The complaint, filed by civil rights organizations, including the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleges that SB 1 suppresses and discourages voter education and assistance efforts. The plaintiffs argue that these activities have long been performed to promote civic participation and help citizens exercise their constitutional right to vote.
Danielle Lang, the senior director of voting rights at Campaign Legal Center, condemned the law, stating, “This law takes us backwards and attacks a fundamental aspect of our sacred freedom of speech – violating the Constitution and hurting Alabamians who rely on nonpartisan, good-government groups to help make their voices heard at the ballot box.”
The advocacy groups are asking the court to block the law, citing the specific harm to various groups of voters, including Black voters, elderly voters, incarcerated voters, voters with disabilities, and low-literacy voters. They argue that SB 1 infringes upon the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the US Constitution, as well as the Voting Rights Act and the Help America Vote of 2002.
By challenging the recently enacted law, these advocacy groups aim to protect the rights of Alabama voters and ensure that all eligible citizens can have their voices heard in the democratic process. The lawsuit highlights the ongoing battle over voting rights in the United States and the importance of safeguarding access to voting for all individuals.