Government
Alabama’s presidential results shift right — but not because of new GOP voters
Unofficial returns show a nearly 10% drop in Democratic votes between 2020 and 2024 as Trump support remained steady.
Figures wins Alabama’s redrawn 2nd Congressional District
Figures, a Democrat, defeated Republican Caroleene Dobson to win the open seat, flipping the district that had been a GOP stronghold until it was redrawn last year.
Birmingham’s newest voters: how the latest generation is approaching politics
While Alabama is not a swing state, these students represent an up and coming generation whose voices have not yet been heard in the political world. And this demographic of voters has already proven that they can make an impact.
What is Amendment One?
This year, there’s just one statewide constitutional amendment on the ballot for Alabama voters. But it affects only two counties.
Birmingham police chief announces plans to retire
Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond announced at a press conference that he will step down at the end of November, two years into his tenure as the historic city's top cop.
Alabama lawmakers question parole board chair on low releases, lack of responsiveness
Leigh Gwathney, the chairwoman of the three-person Board of Pardons and Paroles, appeared before the Legislative Prison Committee in a sometimes tense meeting to take lawmakers’ questions about the parole process. The meeting was marked by a series of terse exchanges as lawmakers accused Gwathney of not answering their questions.
Efforts to restore voting rights for people with felony convictions lag in the Gulf South
A new report shows that more people with past felony convictions can vote in this election cycle than previous ones, but millions remain disenfranchised.
Alabama executes man who killed 5 and asked to be put to death
Derrick Dearman was pronounced dead at Thursday at Holman prison in southern Alabama. He pleaded guilty to the killings that prosecutors said began when he broke into the home where his estranged girlfriend had taken refuge.
Suspect arrested in Five Points South mass shooting
Damien Laron McDaniel III is charged with capital murder in the case. The 22-year-old is also charged with the murder of two other people.
Alabama voting FAQ: How to register, cast your ballot for Nov. 5 election
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. Here’s how to register to vote, submit an absentee ballot, find your polling location and more.
Justice Department sues Alabama saying state is purging voter rolls too close to election
Federal officials said the purge violates the “quiet period provision” of the National Voter Registration Act that prohibits the systemic removal of names from voter rolls 90 days before a federal election.
Alabama puts man convicted of killing 3 to death in the country’s second nitrogen gas execution
Alan Eugene Miller was pronounced dead at a south Alabama prison. He shook and trembled on the gurney for about two minutes with his body at times pulling against the restraints.
Birmingham leaders plead for information on mass shooting and announce reward money
Authorities have still made no arrests after Saturday’s shooting killed four people and left 17 others injured. Police described it as a targeted “hit” on someone by multiple shooters who opened fire on a crowd waiting in line outside a nightspot in Birmingham’s bustling Five Points South district.
Lawsuit says Alabama voter purge targets naturalized citizens
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced last month that 3,251 people who had been previously issued noncitizen identification numbers will have their voter registration status made inactive and flagged for possible removal from the voter rolls.
Jill Biden and Lloyd Austin visit an Alabama base to tout expanded military benefits
Biden and Austin visited a pre-kindergarten program the first lady has championed that funds universal preschool for children aged 3 and 4. The administration plans to expand it beyond military facilities and into education systems nationwide.
Homewood votes this month to change its form of government. Why is the issue so controversial?
A move by Homewood to change to a council-manager form of government began with little fanfare. But as the September 24th vote has grown closer, the relatively quiet, special election has spun into a controversial issue.
The first general election ballots are going in the mail as the presidential contest nears
While the ballot milestone is relatively quiet and comes in a state that is not a political battleground, it is a sign of how quickly Election Day is approaching after this summer's party conventions and Tuesday's first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump.
Jefferson County released from sewer consent decree
A federal judge on Thursday released Jefferson County from a decades-long consent decree ordering rehabilitation of its sewer system. As part of the agreement, the county committed to completing several additional capital improvement projects by early 2027 that are planned and funded to further reduce sewer overflows.
Deceptive drug tests ensnare new parents and babies
Imagine giving birth and then testing positive for a drug. Except you didn't take any drugs. Still the state Department of Human Resources opens an investigation based on that erroneous test.
11th Circuit allows Alabama to enforce its ban on gender-affirming care for minors
In a decision released Wednesday night, a majority of judges on the 11th U.S. Court of Appeals declined a request by families with transgender children for the full court to reconsider a three-judge panel’s decision to let the law go into effect.
Judge limits scope of lawsuit challenging Alabama restrictions on help for absentee ballot applications
Chief U.S. District Judge David Proctor ruled Wednesday that civic groups can pursue just one of their claims: that the law’s ban on gifts or payment for application assistance violates the Voting Rights Act’s assurances that blind, disabled or low-literacy voters can get help from a person of their choice. The judge granted the state’s request to dismiss the other claims raised in the lawsuit.
Alabama says law cannot block people with certain felony convictions from voting in 2024 election
The Alabama attorney general office wrote in a Friday court filing that the new law, which has a Oct. 1 effective date, cannot be used to block people from voting in the upcoming election, because the Alabama Constitution prohibits new election laws from taking effect within six months of the general election.
Alabama election officials make voter registration inactive for thousands of potential noncitizens
Secretary of State Wes Allen announced on Tuesday that 3,251 people will receive letters notifying them that their voter registration status has been made inactive.
Alabama approved a medical marijuana program in 2021. Patients are still waiting for it
In 2021 Alabama overcame years of resistance in the Deep South and approved a medical cannabis program. But three years later, medical marijuana remains unavailable in Alabama because of an ongoing legal fight over some of the licenses to grow and sell the products.
Alabama to move forward with nitrogen gas execution in September after lawsuit settlement
Alabama and attorneys for Alan Miller, who was convicted of killing three men, reached a “confidential settlement agreement” to end litigation filed by Miller, according to a court document filed Monday.
Voting advocates in Alabama’s District 2 are training, gearing up for 2024 election
Nearly 40 participants took part in a recent Community Action Training to better prepare for the majority-Black district’s first election since being redrawn.
Court filings provide additional details of the US’ first nitrogen gas execution
The documents filed last month in ongoing litigation provided additional details of the execution of Kenneth Smith, who was the first person put to death using nitrogen gas.
Understaffed, the Birmingham Police Department is trying to rebuild trust and its ranks
Police departments nationally, especially larger agencies, have seen a drop in recruits and an increase in resignations and retirements, since prior to the pandemic. Some indicators are pointing to a turnaround.
Alabama, civic groups spar over law restricting assistance with absentee ballot applications
The diverging depictions of the new law were aired during a federal hearing on Alabama’s request to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the statute. U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor did not indicate when he would rule.
Former Alabama legislator sentenced to 13 months in federal prison for kickback scheme
John Rogers was charged as part of a kickback scheme that diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from a fund intended to pay for community projects in Jefferson County.
Alabama prison chief responds to families’ criticism
The department said that a number of changes have been made since Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm was appointed in 2022. The department said hiring has increased, and there are ongoing efforts to curb the flow of contraband and improve communications with families.
Families describe assaults and deaths behind bars during hearing on Alabama prison conditions
Family members of people incarcerated in Alabama prisons packed the public hearing held by the Joint Legislative Prison Committee, a panel of lawmakers focused on prison oversight. Some wearing T-shirts with photos of their loved ones, family members described assaults, rapes, extortions, deaths and rampant drug availability and overdoses behind bars.
