MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. — More than 37,000 Mobile County voters were moved to inactive status after a state audit, putting registration status squarely in focus less than a month before Alabama’s May 19 primary election.
County officials have been urging voters to check their status and update their information, saying being inactive does not mean a voter is removed from the rolls, but it can create problems at the polls if records are not updated in time.
The issue has quickly become a flashpoint in Alabama’s election debate, with voting rights advocates warning that large-scale status changes can discourage participation, while Republican officials say the audit is part of routine list maintenance.
The timing is especially sensitive because Alabama’s primary is approaching fast, with registration deadlines already closing in and county election officials pressing voters to verify their information before Election Day.
State records and local election messaging say voters can check their registration at alabamavotes.gov and should make sure their name, address and party information are current before heading to the polls.
Separately, Alabama Republicans have advanced other election-related proposals this year, including a bill that would change how the state handles primary elections in certain circumstances, underscoring how election rules remain politically charged in Montgomery.