Ala. Code
Code of Alabama

Ala. Code § 17-16-2 (2026)

Reimbursing Counties for Election Expenses - “Expenses” Defined; Requests for Reimbursement.

✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
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(a) As used in this chapter, the term “expenses” shall include the following items and any other items approved as reimbursable expenses by the Election Expense Reimbursement Committee pursuant to Section 17-16-2.1:

(1) The compensation and mileage provided by law for election officials.

(2) The compensation provided by law for the clerk or other official acting as absentee election manager.

(3) The cost of necessary training and associated travel expenses as approved by the county commission for any individual appointed as the absentee election manager pursuant to Section 17-11-2.

(4) The costs of ballots, supplies, and other materials or equipment necessary for election officials to conduct elections as required by law and as certified by the judge of probate as chief election official of the county.

(5) The costs incurred by the county commission in using electronic poll books pursuant to Section 17-4-2.1, including essential support equipment, software updates, populating the electronic poll books prior to each election, maintenance of the electronic poll books, and any other expenses necessary to comply with rules adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 17-4-2.1.

(6) The costs incurred by the county commission in using electronic voting machines, including, but not limited to, the transport of electronic voting machines, essential support equipment, software updates, maintenance of the electronic voting machines, and storage of electronic voting machines in non-governmental facilities.

(7) The costs incurred by the county commission for rental payments to a facility used as a polling place.

(8) The costs of absentee ballots, supplies, postage, and other materials required by law to be furnished to the absentee election manager.

(9) The cost of preparing and furnishing the lists of qualified electors to the election officials as required by law.

(10) The cost of publishing any notice or other item related to any election and required by law, including, but not limited to, the publication of notice of any election and any voter lists.

(b) Requests for reimbursement shall be submitted to the Comptroller within 90 days following the date of the election in which the expenses were incurred.

(c) This section shall apply to each primary and general election beginning with the election on November 5, 2024.

(Acts 1955, No. 160, p. 406, §1; §17-21-1; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §78; Act 2011-147, p. 276, §1; Act 2024-92, §1.)

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 1980–2008 · leading case: Johnny Swanson, III v. The State of Alabama, 490 F.3d 894 (11th Cir. 2007).
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Johnny Swanson, III v. The State of Alabama, 490 F.3d 894 (11th Cir. 2007). · cites it 2× “See Ala.Code § 17-16-2 (2005) (current version at Ala.”
Working v. Jefferson Cnty. Election Comm'n, 2 So. 3d 827 (Ala. 2008). · cites it 3× “” Ala.Code 1975, § 17-16-2. Even as to the specific “expenses” listed in § 17-16-2, however, § 17-16^1 does not obligate the State to reimburse a county for “all sums” expended by the county if the election is one in which candidates or officials for other than federal or state…”
Reform Party of Alabama v. Bennett, 18 F. Supp. 2d 1342 (M.D. Ala. 1998). · cites it 2× “Ala.Code (1975) § 17-16-2. Only these “20 percent” or “major” parties are governed by the provisions of Chapter 16, Title 17.”
Libertarian Party of Ala. v. Wallace, 586 F. Supp. 399 (M.D. Ala. 1984). · cites it 2× “This law, in conjunction with already existing §§ 17-16-2, 17-16-3 Ala. Code (Supp.1983), provides a two-track system by which a political party may have its name placed on a ballot for statewide and local elections: (1) a candidate of the party must have garnered at least 20%…”
Whig Party of Alabama v. Siegelman, 500 F. Supp. 1195 (N.D. Ala. 1980). “A “political party” within a county is required to have received more than 20% of the county’s votes in the last general election; a state “political party” is required to have received more than 20% of the total state vote in the last general election.”
Johnson v. Roberson, 682 So. 2d 58 (Ala. 1996). · cites it 3× “We note that, under § 17-16-2’s definition of “political party” for purposes of Chapter 16, the Patriot Party would not be a political party and thus would appear not to be governed by Chapter 16, which principally applies to primary elections.”
Haughton v. McCollum, 530 So. 2d 758 (Ala. 1988). “They constitute the board that is required, under Code of 1975, § 17-16-2, to appoint the inspectors and clerks for each voting place and the returning officer for each voting precinct, who must perform their election duties according to law.”
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