MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The results of the 2024 general election have been made official Tuesday at the State Elections Canvassing Board meeting.
Representatives from both the Alabama Attorney General and Governor’s Office, as well as Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen signed and certified the results. The office estimated earlier this month that about 2.2 million people voted in the election, or 58.5% of registered voters. The turnout in percentage terms was the lowest for a presidential election in the state since 1988. About 2.3 million Alabamians voted in the 2020 presidential election.
“As far as turnout, that is up to the voters to get out and go vote,” Allen said in an interview with media following the certification of the results.
The Secretary of State, who pushed restrictions on drop boxes as a legislator, said he did not believe new laws, including efforts to criminalize some forms of absentee ballot assistance, affected turnout.
“I think our elections are safe, secure, and transparent because of the policies that the Legislature, in years past, have implemented and the governor has signed in, and I think that is one thing that people have confidence in, is our elections in the state of Alabama,” he said.
Alabama has some of the country’s lowest rates of voter participation, with experts citing a history of voter suppression, a lack of early voting and an absence of competitive races as contributing.
Alabama’s highest turnout in the last 38 years was the 1992 presidential contest, when 76% of eligible voters cast ballots.
“The thing I want to talk about is commending the probate judges, circuit clerks, sheriffs, board of registrars, and all our poll workers for administering a fair, secure, transparent election,” Allen said to open the interview. “We had a great election day. Without those local election officials, we wouldn’t have elections.”
