Alabama House of Representatives passes party registration

March 19, 2026 – The Alabama House of Representative passed legislation to require voters to choose a party affiliation in Republican and Democratic primaries. This legislation has been sought by the Alabama Republican Party for the better part of a decade.

House Bill 541 (HB541) is sponsored by State Representative Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity_.

Yarbrough explained that his bill would not impact the 2026 primaries, but in 2028 (the presidential primary) the state would record which primary voters participate in (already in the database) and then register the voters in that party. When they came back to vote in 2030, they could vote in that party's primary. To switch their party affiliation, they would have to fill out a form but would have to do that by sixty days prior to the 2030 primary. That 60 days before a primary would be a "blackout period" where voters cannot change party affiliation.

There was bipartisan opposition to this legislation.

State Representative Phillip Rigsby (R-Huntsville) said, "I have a very purple district."

Rigsby said that he voted for the Choose Act to give parents a choice in where they send their kids to school. Now the legislature wants to take away voter's right to choose which primary they participate in, "This is going backwards."

Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) said, "You are forcing people to do something they really don't want to do."

Daniels said that HB541 was, "Not fiscally responsible."

"Not only does it put people in a box," said Daniels. "We are making the taxpayers pay the bill."

Daniels said that he wanted Alabama elections to be less partisan, not more.

"I support the jungle primary where everyone runs together in order to get the best candidate possible instead of the most extreme," said Daniels. "I also support electing judges in non-partisan elections."

Yarbrough pointed out that in addition to state, federal, and county offices primaries decide who is elected to the Republican and Democratic state and county executive committees.

"They (voters) are potentially choosing the Republican and Democratic state executive committee members," said Yarbrough,

"If you are forcing individuals to choose a political party in a closed primary I don't think they should have to pay for it," Daniels said.

"We don't want Democrats coming over to our primary and adulterating our candidates and we shouldn't voting in their primary," said Rep. Ben Harrison (R-Elkmont).

Harrison is an original cosponsor of HB541.

State Representative Chris Blackshear (R-Phenix City) said, "The first I heard of this was in a House Republican Caucus meeting on February 12, then I found out that you had introduced a bill."

"You will drive the Republican Party into the ground with this bill," said Rep. Chris Pringle (R-Mobile). "They (independents) will retaliate against us."

"The party is asking us to commit suicide," said Pringle. "If the Democrats pick up another couple of seats Democrats are going to be kill every bill that comes down here on the BIR vote."

Pringle slammed Yarbrough for benefitting from the Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee removing his primary opponent - former state Representative Doc Mancus - from the May 19 ballot.

Pringle introduced an amendment to give absentee ballot managers the option to opt out because they don't have the resources to enforce the bill.

Yarbrough accepted the amendment as a friendly amendment and the House unanimously voted in favor of the amendment.

"I have been working on this bill for three years," said Yarbrough. "This is something from my days door knocking as a young Republican, I was raised to believe in."

Blackshear said, "You said this was good for your district we have 105 districts in this state?"

Blackshear said that under the current leadership the state has passed: the toughest abortion law in the country, permitless concealed carry, 50 military bills, the Choose Act, and cut taxes including halving the state grocery tax.

With the exception of the election of Doug Jones as U.S. Senator in a special election in 2017, no Democrat has won a statewide race in Alabama since Lucy Baxley was narrowly elected as Public Service Commission President in 2008.

"In 2010 we elected 66 Republicans (to the House) and took control of the legislature (from the Democrats), what advantage do we get when we have been doing good at electing Republicans?"

"I agree that it is great red meat issue," said Blackshear. "My dad asked, 'Where is the advantage?'"

Yarbrough said that there is always benefit if, "We (Republicans) lean into who we are."

Blackshear responded that there is also benefit if, "We don't stand on landmines."

"My biggest concern is that some of the elderly people," miss that 60-day blackout period said Blackshear. "There is a huge chunk of independents in the state."

Yarbrough said that there are a lot of things in life such as renewing drivers' licenses where citizens have to meet deadlines.

"Life is full of decisions," said Yarbrough.

"I hope we are not mis stepping here," said Blackshear. "I guess it is a gamble that we are willing to take."

State Representative Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile) said, "As I read your bill last night, I was wondering how many people you will disenfranchise form the voting process?"

Yarbrough answered, "I would say zero."

"I disagree, it would disenfranchise over 300,000 independent thinking people," said Drummond.

"I have family members who are in government and they are told not to declare a party affiliation," said Drummond.

Yarbrough said, "We should not discriminate against people over political party."

"The entire Democracy we live under is about people it is not about party," said Drumond. "Why do we want to disenfranchise over 300,000 independent people from voting?"

"If you choose not to register with either party you can still vote in the general election," said Yarbrough.

"This is going to further denigrate what people think about party in this state," said Drummond.

"Where we are today is a rollback in civil rights," said Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham). "Ending DEI was a rollback."

HB541 passed the House by a vote of 63 to 35.

The Alabama Republican Party issued a statement praising the House of Representatives for passing closed primary legislation.

The newly elected Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party is state Representative Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle).

"Republicans across Alabama have been asking for this for more than a decade," said Chairman Scott Stadthagen. "The message from the grassroots of our Party has been clear - Republican voters should choose Republican nominees."

The Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee has adopted resolutions calling for party registration three times - in January 2014, August 2022, and again just weeks ago at its 2026 Winter Meeting

Stadthagen thanked Yarbrough for stepping up and bringing the bill.

"I want to especially thank Rep. Ernie Yarbrough for sponsoring this legislation and doing the work to move it through the Alabama House," Stadthagen said. "Ernie stepped up to lead on an issue that Republicans across our state care deeply about, and his leadership made today's vote possible."

"For years we've seen Democrats openly talk about voting in Republican primaries to influence the outcome - some even bragging about it in national media outlets like the New York Times," Stadthagen said. "That's not healthy for either party, and it's certainly not fair to Republican voters."

House Democrats held a press conference to voice their opposition to HB541.

This piece of legislation further pushes individuals from participating in the process," said Leader Daniels. "Right now we are trying to box in voters and choose them to choose a political party." "This is another attempt by politicians to choose their voters rather than letting voters choose them."

"The (Republican) Party has prioritized this so you (Republican House members) cannot ignore it,' Daniels said "I hope that the Senate makes changes."

"I do think this will weaken candidates in primaries on both sides of the aisle," said Daniels. "We will be =come Washington in no time." "If I was in a supermajority there is no way that I would vote for something like that."

Daniels warned that candidates will become more extreme on both the right and the left due to this.

HB541 now goes to the Alabama Senate for their consideration.

Senator Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) is sponsoring the legislation in the Senate.

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