What's on your ballot, Alabama.

What it does“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to provide for the election of a Lieutenant Governor if the Office of Lieutenant Governor becomes vacant during the first two years of a term, to authorize the Legislature to set the salary of the Lieutenant Governor and officers of the Legislature, and to require any expenditure of legislative funds for travel to be approved by a legislative officer. Proposed by Act 2026-341.”

What changesCurrent law generally provides that if the office of Lieutenant Governor becomes vacant during a term of office, the vacancy remains until the next regular election for that office. The Alabama Constitution also sets the pay of the Lieutenant Governor and certain legislative officers. If approved, this amendment would require an election to fill the office of Lieutenant Governor for the remainder of an unexpired term if the office becomes vacant more than 60 days before the next general election in which state officers are elected. The amendment would also authorize the Legislature to set the pay of the Lieutenant Governor and officers of the Legislature by joint resolution. In addition, the amendment would require expenditures of legislative funds for travel by members of the Legislature to be approved by an officer elected by the members of that legislative chamber.

Fiscal effectThere are no costs or taxes associated with Amendment 1.

What it does“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to provide a process for the creation of a consolidated county school system by merging two or more contiguous county boards of education; to require the State Board of Education to conduct an impact study on the potentia1 effects of the consolidation; to require publication of the impact study; to provide a procedure for protesting a proposed consolidation of two or more county school systems; and to require the State Board of Education to adopt rules. Proposed by Act 2026-378.”

What changesCurrently, each county has a board of education that operates independently. A process allowing the merger of two or more county boards of education does not currently exist in the Alabama Constitution. If approved, this amendment would allow two or more neighboring county boards of education to agree to merge their county school systems into one multi-county school system by formal resolution of the affected county school boards. Before a merger could occur, the State Board of Education would be required to conduct a study of the proposed merger, including its potential effects on students, families, educational programs, transportation, finances, taxes, and school operations. The study must be published before the merger could be finalized.

Fiscal effectThere are no costs or taxes associated with Amendment 2.

What it does“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to recite The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag at the beginning of each school day; and to require local boards of education to adopt a policy authorizing student-initiated and student-led prayer. Proposed by Act 2026-379.”

What changesCurrently, the Alabama Constitution does not require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance each school day or to adopt policies allowing student-initiated and student-led prayer. If approved, this amendment would require each local board of education to adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag at the beginning of each school day and give students the opportunity to voluntarily recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The amendment would also require each local board of education to adopt a policy allowing student-initiated and student-led prayer in public K-12 schools. No student could be required to participate in the prayer, and students would have the right to opt out of participating in the Pledge of Allegiance or the prayer based on their own beliefs. Reported violations would be reviewed by the local superintendent of education.

Fiscal effectThere are no costs or taxes associated with Amendment 3.

What it does“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours.”

What changesCurrently, the Alabama Constitution does not require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or allow the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner during school hours. If approved, this amendment would require each local board of education to adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once each week during school hours. A local board of education could instead allow the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner to be performed during school hours by a school-approved band, choir, vocal group, or vocalist using the version archived by the Library of Congress.

Fiscal effectThere are no costs or taxes associated with Amendment 4.