Alabama Constitution
| Alabama Constitution |
|---|
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| Preamble |
| Articles |
| I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI •XII •XIII •XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII |
| Local Provisions |
The Alabama Constitution is the state constitution of Alabama.
- The current (and seventh) Alabama Constitution was ratified by voters in 2022.
- Alabama has had seven state constitutions.
- The current constitution has 18 articles.
- The current constitution has been amended 11 times.
- Voters last approved new amendments to the Alabama Constitution on November 8, 2022.
The Alabama Constitution can be amended with a legislative or covention-referred constitutional amendment, all of which require voter approval.
A state constitution is the fundamental document that outlines a state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters.
The following information for the Alabama Constitution of 2022, which voters ratified on November 8, 2022.
Background
Alabama has had six other state constitutions, with constitutional conventions in 1819, 1861, 1865, 1868, 1875 and 1901. Revisions included efforts to address language disenfranchising black voters and poor white voters, economic development, tax policies and provisions related to the division of power between the state and counties.
Preamble
The Preamble of the Alabama Constitution states:
Article I: Declaration of Rights
- See also: Article I, Alabama Constitution
Article I of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Declaration of Rights and consists of 46 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Alabama Constitution.
Article II: State and County Boundaries
- See also: Article II, Alabama Constitution
Article II of the Alabama Constitution is entitled State and County Boundaries and consists of six sections.
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Article III: Distribution of Powers of Government
- See also: Article III, Alabama Constitution
Article III of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Distribution of Powers of Government and consists of five sections.
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Article IV: Legislative Department
- See also: Article IV, Alabama Constitution
Article IV of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Legislative Department and consists of 104 sections.
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Article V: Executive Department
- See also: Article V, Alabama Constitution
Article V of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Executive Department and consists of 31 sections.
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Article VI: Judicial Department
- See also: Article VI, Alabama Constitution
Article VI of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Judicial Department and consists of 35 sections.
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Article VII: Impeachments
- See also: Article VII, Alabama Constitution
Article VII of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Impeachments and consists of four sections.
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Article VIII: Suffrage and Elections
- See also: Article VIII, Alabama Constitution
Article VIII of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Suffrage and Elections and consists of 20 sections.
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Article IX: Representation
- See also: Article IX, Alabama Constitution
Article IX of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Representation and consists of seven sections.
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Article X: Exemptions
- See also: Article X, Alabama Constitution
Article X of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Exemptions and consists of seven sections.
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Article XI: Taxation and Finance
- See also: Article XI, Alabama Constitution
Article XI of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Taxation and Finance and consists of 77 sections.
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Article XII: Corporations
- See also: Article XII, Alabama Constitution
Article XII of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Corporations and consists of 33 sections.
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Article XIII: Banks and Banking
- See also: Article XIII, Alabama Constitution
Article XIII of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Banks and Banking and consists of nine sections.
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Article XIV: Education
- See also: Article XIV, Alabama Constitution
Article XIV of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Education and consists of 25 sections.
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Article XV: Militia
- See also: Article XV, Alabama Constitution
Article XV of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Militia and consists of eight sections.
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Article XVI: Oath of Office
- See also: Article XVI, Alabama Constitution
Article XVI of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Oath of Office and consists of one section.
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Article XVII: Miscellaneous Provisions
- See also: Article XVII, Alabama Constitution
Article XVII of the Alabama Constitution is entitled Miscellaneous Provisions and consists of four sections.
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Article XVIII: Mode of Amending the Constitution
- See also: Article XVIII, Alabama Constitution
Article XVIII of the Alabama Constitution is labeled Mode of Amending the Constitution. It has seven sections. Taken together, these sections lay out the ways in which the Alabama Constitution can be amended.
Click here to read this article of the Alabama Constitution.
Local provisions
- See also: Local Provisions, Alabama Constitution
The 2022 constitution includes 134 local provisions. A full list of the local provisions can be found here.
Amending the Alabama constitution
The Alabama Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution: a legislative process and a state constitutional convention. Alabama requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.
Legislature
A 60% vote is required during one legislative session for the Alabama State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 63 votes in the Alabama House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Alabama State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Convention
According to the Alabama Constitution, a simple majority in each chamber during one legislative session is required to send a constitutional convention question to voters. A simple majority vote by the electorate is required to call the convention. Any proposed amendments approved by the convention require a simple majority vote of the electorate to be ratified.
See also
- State constitution
- Constitutional article
- Constitutional amendment
- Constitutional revision
- Constitutional convention
- Amendments
External links
Footnotes
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State of Alabama Montgomery (capital) |
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