Lawsuit challenges Alabama voting rules during pandemic

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A lawsuit says that Alabama’s voting rules amid the coronavirus pandemic jeopardize the health of voters, especially older voters, black voters, and voters with disabilities.

The lawsuit filed by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program alleges that Alabama’s rules will require people to choose between voting and protecting their health.

Absentee voters are currently required to submit photocopies of their photo identification as well as sign the absentee ballot before a notary or two witnesses.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to require Alabama to waive those requirements. It also seeks to require Alabama to offer curbside voting.

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