Wes Allen Unveils Plan to Identify and Combat Fraud in Alabama

May 28, 2026 - MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, a Republican candidate in the June 16 runoff for Lieutenant Governor, announced a new initiative aimed at identifying and combating fraud within state government. Allen said the proposal would be a central priority if elected.

"We see fraud being uncovered all over the country and it would be naïve to believe that we do not have similar incidents happening here," Allen said. "As Lt. Governor, I will make identifying the fraud that steals money from Alabama taxpayers a priority by working with the legislature to stand up a task force with fraud identification as a sole focus."

A Task Force Blending Public and Private Expertise

Allen's plan calls for the creation of a statewide fraud‑identification task force that would bring together specialists from both the public and private sectors. According to Allen, the group would include professionals with backgrounds in accounting, business operations, finance, and forensic investigation, working alongside personnel from state agencies.

He argues that combining private‑sector expertise with internal agency knowledge would give Alabama "new methods and fresh sets of eyes" to uncover waste, abuse, and fraudulent activity that may otherwise go undetected.

Wahl is a former Pike County probate judge, state legislator, and college football player. He was elected as Alabama Secretary of State in 2022. He is married with two adult children.

Runoff Approaches

Allen is competing in the Republican runoff for Lieutenant Governor on June 16. He has framed his fraud‑prevention proposal as part of a broader effort to protect taxpayer dollars and strengthen oversight across state government. Allen faces former Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl in the June 16 GOP primary runoff.