AMERICANS in one state could be forced to vote twice this summer after a dramatic poll shake-up sparked by a courtroom battle over election maps.
In Alabama, some residents who already cast ballots in the May 19 election may now have to head back to the polls again in August under a new state law.
The chaos follows months of legal wrangling over congressional district boundaries.
Governor Kay Ivey has now ordered special primary elections for four major districts after courts allowed the state to return to its 2023 map.
The special primaries are now set for August 11, meaning another trip to the ballot box for thousands of voters during an already packed election year.
The new process is being driven by House Bill 1, legislation passed during a special session to deal with late court rulings affecting congressional maps.
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Under the law, special primary elections must be held if district boundaries change too late in the normal election cycle – even if voters have already taken part under the old map.
But the law also scraps one major feature of Alabama elections: runoff races.
Instead of requiring a candidate to win more than 50 percent of the vote, the special primary winner will simply be the candidate with the most votes.
Election experts warn the change could have a major impact on turnout.
Rachel Hutchinson, Deputy Director of Research and Policy at FairVote, said voter participation almost always collapses between a primary and a runoff.
“Turnout almost always declines in runoff elections,” Hutchinson told ABC 33/40.
“So, in 2024, there was a turnout decline in every federal primary runoff across the country. The median turnout decline was 63%.”
FairVote analyzed congressional primary runoffs nationwide from 1996 through 2024 and found turnout fell in every congressional runoff race last year.
FairVote analyzed congressional primary runoffs nationwide from 1996 through 2024 and found turnout fell in every congressional runoff race last year.
In Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District runoff in 2024, Republican turnout plunged by 56 percent between the first and second rounds.
The report also found many runoff winners actually received fewer votes in the runoff than they had earned in the original primary.
Hutchinson said repeated elections can leave voters exhausted.
“We ask voters to turn out for a whole lot of elections in the U.S.,” she said.
“Runoffs can also intensify negative campaigning.”
Backers of the change argue cutting out runoffs could actually boost participation by limiting the number of times voters must return to polling stations.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Scott Stadthagen said reducing election trips could help turnout in special elections.
“Reducing the number of trips voters have to make to the polls can absolutely help participation, especially in a special election setting where timelines are compressed,” Stadthagen said.
But he admitted special elections can confuse voters because they fall outside the usual calendar.
“That’s why we are committed to working closely with county parties and local leaders across Alabama to make sure voters understand when these elections are taking place, what districts are impacted, and how they can participate,” Stadthagen said.
Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley said Democrats are preparing a major voter awareness push.
“The word is gonna be out,” Kelley told ABC 33/40. “We’re gonna make sure the word is out.”
The concerns come as turnout in Alabama primaries already trails far behind general election participation.
ABC 33/40 previously found just 22 percent of registered voters in Jefferson and Shelby counties took part in Alabama’s 2022 primary elections, compared to about 41 percent in the general election later that year.
State officials estimate the special election process could cost taxpayers around $4.45 million if it goes ahead.
