Alabama Senate Approves HB95, Establishing Mandatory Post‑Election Audits Across All Counties

April 1, 2026 - The Alabama Senate has passed House Bill 95, a sweeping election‑integrity measure that would require every county in the state to conduct a post‑election audit following each general election. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joe Lovvorn (R-Auburn), and carried in the Senate by Senator Jay Hovey (R-Auburn).

represents one of the most significant structural changes to Alabama's election procedures in years, creating a uniform statewide system for verifying the accuracy of election results. With the Senate's approval, the legislation now moves toward final enrollment and consideration by the Governor, positioning Alabama to join a growing number of states that have adopted formal audit requirements as part of their election‑administration framework.

HB95, formally titled the Alabama Post‑Election Audit Act, establishes a detailed process for how counties must review and confirm the accuracy of their reported results. Under current Alabama law, counties canvass and certify election totals, but no statewide audit requirement exists. The bill fills that gap by mandating that each county's judge of probate order an audit after every countywide and statewide general election. The audit must be conducted before the certification deadline, ensuring that any discrepancies are identified and documented while the election is still in its official review period.

One of the central components of the bill is the requirement that counties use a random selection process to determine which precincts and races will be audited. At noon on the second Friday after the election, the county canvassing board must publicly select at least one precinct-excluding absentee and provisional ballots-and at least one statewide or countywide race for review. The judge of probate may choose to audit additional precincts or races if desired, but the bill guarantees that every county will audit at least one portion of its results. This randomization is intended to prevent selective auditing and to ensure that the process remains transparent, impartial, and consistent across all 67 counties.

The bill also outlines strict procedures for maintaining ballot security throughout the audit process. Ballot containers must remain sealed and unopened until they are delivered to the audit inspectors, who are appointed using the same procedures used for selecting poll workers during a regular election. Once the audit begins, inspectors must review the ballots, compare them to the machine‑counted totals, and document any discrepancies. Even in counties that use ballot‑counting machines, the bill requires that at least 30 ballots be manually examined to ensure that the machine results align with the physical ballots. This manual review requirement is designed to provide an additional layer of verification and to ensure that the audit is not merely a procedural formality.

Transparency is a major theme throughout HB95. The bill requires public notice of the audit's date, time, and location, and it mandates that poll watchers be allowed to observe the process. Accredited members of the media must also be granted access, ensuring that the audit is conducted in full public view. Supporters of the bill have emphasized that public confidence in elections is strengthened when the verification process is open, observable, and clearly defined in law. By requiring counties to conduct audits in a manner that is both standardized and publicly accessible, the Legislature aims to reinforce trust in the accuracy of Alabama's election results.

Once the audit is complete, the judge of probate must submit a detailed report to the Secretary of State's office. This report must include any discrepancies discovered during the audit, an explanation of the likely causes, and recommendations for corrective action. The Secretary of State is then required to publish the audit results on the official state website and to submit a comprehensive report to the Governor and the Legislature within 30 days. These reporting requirements ensure that the findings of each audit are not only documented but also made available to state leaders and the public, creating a feedback loop that can inform future improvements to election administration.

Another significant provision of HB95 is the requirement that the state reimburse counties for all expenses associated with conducting the audits. Election administration is often a resource‑intensive responsibility for county governments, and lawmakers sought to ensure that the new audit mandate would not create an unfunded burden. By directing the State Comptroller to reimburse counties for their costs, the bill attempts to balance the goal of increased election oversight with the practical realities of local government budgets.

The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment, meaning that counties would be required to implement the new audit procedures beginning with the next general election cycle. Supporters argue that the immediate effective date reflects the urgency of strengthening election verification processes, while critics have raised questions about whether counties will have sufficient time to prepare. However, the bill has not faced significant organized opposition, and its passage through both chambers has been marked by broad bipartisan support.

HB95 passed the Senate 22 to 7 with Democrats voting in opposition. Republicans were forced by the Democrats filibuster to pass a cloture motion to shut off debate so that the bill could pass. A number of Republican Senators voted Present rather than Yes or No.

With the Senate's approval, HB95 now moves to the final stages of the legislative process. If signed by the Governor, Alabama will adopt a statewide audit system that supporters say will enhance transparency, accuracy, and public trust in the electoral process. The bill represents a major step in the state's ongoing efforts to modernize election procedures and ensure that every general election is subject to a clear, consistent, and publicly verifiable review.

(Brandon Moseley contributed to this report.)