In Alabama, the fight for voting rights isn’t just part of our past; it’s the defining challenge of our present. From the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to today’s legal fights over redistricting and voter suppression, our state has long stood at the frontlines of democracy’s most critical battles. And now, with the 2024 elections behind us and 2026 quickly approaching, Alabama once again finds itself at a crossroads.
But history has proven, as Alabama goes, so goes the nation.
Currently, Alabama ranks among the lowest in the nation for voter turnout. In the 2022 midterms, less than 40% of eligible voters cast a ballot. These numbers don’t reflect a lack of interest they reflect a lack of access. Systemic barriers like voter identification laws, limited polling places, and the disenfranchisement of thousands of formerly incarcerated Alabamians are all designed to make participation harder, especially for Black, Brown, poor, and rural communities.
These are not accidents. They intentional barriers created and maintained through policy choices. But we have the power—and the responsibility—to make different choices moving forward. That’s why the next 15 months are so critical.
If we are serious about protecting democracy, we must not only fight voter suppression—we must also empower people to participate. That’s the mission behind Project MOVE (Making Our Voices Echo), an initiative from the ACLU of Alabama dedicated to increasing voter participation by 5% across the state, particularly among historically excluded communities. Project MOVE works to educate voters, train volunteers, partner with community organizations, and get people to the polls not just on Election Day--but every day in between.
Because voting isn’t just a right. It’s power.
We cannot prioritize civic participation without prioritizing political accountability. We’ve spent the last year traveling through the state to speak with Alabamians about their community concerns. We heard stories about the challenges within the education system and the egregious lack of food security. But chief among their concerns was the absence of viable candidates seeking public office. We must have candidates on the ballot who are willing to be held accountable to the people they serve. We need leaders who are rooted in community, who understand the stakes for everyday Alabamians, and who are prepared to fight for a future that includes all of us—not just the privileged few. We are seeking candidates who will fight for fair districts, protect reproductive freedom, confront Alabama’s prison crisis head-on, and champion public education—not dismantle it.
The good news? We don’t have to start from scratch. Across this state, people are organizing. They’re registering voters, holding town halls, running for local office, and fighting for a better Alabama. Project MOVE is one example of what’s possible when we stop waiting for change and start building it ourselves.
But make no mistake: time is of the essence. The next 15 months will shape what Alabama looks like for the next generation. Will we continue down the path of voter suppression, criminalization, and inequality? Or will we rise to meet this moment and push for a democracy that finally lives up to its name? Alabama has always had the courage.
Now we need turnout. We need leadership. We need movement.
The ACLU of Alabama is fighting for you. Our Project MOVE initiative is an open invitation to every Alabamian—every student, worker, parent, and neighbor—to join us in this fight. Because history has proven, as Alabama goes, so goes the nation.