The bill amends Section 11-43B-4 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to establish qualification fees for municipal elections in certain Class 4 municipalities and to outline provisions for indigent candidates. It specifies that candidates for mayor must pay a qualifying fee of $500, while candidates for council member and municipal board of education member must pay $250. Additionally, the bill allows individuals who cannot afford these fees to be exempted if they attest that their gross income does not exceed 130 percent of the federal poverty level and provide a copy of their most recent federal tax return, replacing the previous requirement of obtaining statements from three city electors.

The bill also clarifies the election process, stating that elections will be conducted in accordance with general state law for mayor-council forms of government. It introduces new language to define the residency requirements for candidates and mandates that all candidates file a sworn statement of campaign expenses and contributions of $100 or more within 30 days after the election. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 11-43B-4, 11-43B-4
Enrolled: 11-43B-4, 11-43B-4