Wes Allen, Alabama’s Secretary of State, applauds the Alabama Legislature for the passage of SB 186, a bill to ban the practice of ranked choice voting in Alabama elections.
“Before I was Alabama’s Secretary of State, I publicly opposed the concept of ranked choice voting in Alabama elections,” said Secretary Allen. “Elections conducted using ranked choice voting violate the fundamental principle of ‘one-person one-vote.’”
In elections that utilize ranked choice voting, voters are forced to rank candidates in numerical order rather than choosing their most preferred candidate. This system is known to cause voter confusion, large percentages of spoiled ballots, and excessively delayed election results.
“Ranked choice voting makes winners out of losers by redistributing votes to losing candidates until one candidate is assigned a majority of the votes,” Secretary Allen explained. “Alabama elections are fair, secure, and transparent. Elections that utilize ranked choice voting have no place in Alabama.”
Secretary Allen commends Senator Arthur Orr and Representative Mark Shirey for championing this legislation.
“I want to thank Senator Orr and Representative Shirey for their hard work shepherding this legislation through both chambers of the Alabama Legislature,” said Secretary Allen. “This legislation will strengthen the integrity of Alabama elections and protect the vote of Alabama citizens. I am proud to see SB 186 head to the Governor’s desk.”
Read Secretary Allen’s op-ed opposing ranked choice voting here: https://www.sos.alabama.gov/newsroom/op-ed-banning-ranked-choice-voting-next-step-ensuring-alabama-elections-are-most-secure.
Wes Allen is Alabama’s 54th Secretary of State. The Secretary of State is Alabama’s Chief Elections Official. Additionally, Alabama law gives the Secretary of State more than 1,000 different duties. To learn more about the Secretary of State and his responsibilities and duties visit www.sos.alabama.gov.
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*Secretary of State Wes Allen’s official photograph: https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/inline-images/AllenBioHighRes.jpg
*Read the full text of SB 186 here: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdfdocs/SearchableInstruments/2024RS/SB186-eng.pdf