November 3 ballot will include amendments to Alabama’s constitution

(WAFF) - We are exactly two months out - Election Day is November 3! While you may be thinking most about who to support for president, you’re also being asked to vote on six proposed amendments to Alabama’s state constitution.

Here’s a break down of what you need to know about Amendments 1 and 2.

Amendment 1 provides that only a U.S. citizen has the right to vote.

Now, you may be thinking - isn’t that already a requirement? Yes, the federal government requires you to be an American citizen in order to vote. However, lawmakers are proposing to have it explicitly written in Alabama’s state constitution.

“I would term it a little bit of a housekeeping matter,” says Alabama State Senator Arthur Orr.

Amendment 2 revolves around the state court system and proposes to change who has the authority to appoint the Administrative Director of Courts.

Currently, the Chief Justice decides who holds that position, but Amendment 2 would allow the full Alabama Supreme Court to appoint. The reason for this change? Administrative Director of Courts is a very important job, and lawmakers believe more people should have a say in who does it.

Senator Orr says a Chief Justice may appoint a campaign manager or someone who is simply not qualified to carry out the role of Administrative Director of Courts.

“Some of the administrators that have been brought in have no experience in the administrations, and we’re talking about a budget of well over hundreds and millions of dollars in the judiciary, thousands of employees, just lots of moving parts,” says Senator Orr. “It’s a very complex job, and having a better prepared civil servant to serve in that role is certainly something that we seek to have.”

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