ALGOP unanimously adds plank to platform supporting closed primaries, party registration

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August 3, 2026

The platform of the Alabama Republican Party now contains a plank supporting closed primaries and party registration.

The platform addition came Saturday in a meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee, passing the 300+ body on a voice vote that drew all ayes and no nays.

State Auditor Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) made the motion to make closed primaries a part of the official platform.

The party cannot itself mandate closed primaries but can promote the measure in the state legislature, which meets starting in February 2027.

The issue has taken on new significance because of the upcoming special congressional primary on August 11, where Democrat Party Vice Chair Tabitha Isner had asked Democrat voters to go to the polls and vote in the Republican primary — apparently part of a Democrat strategy to influence the winners of the Republican races.

Other Democrat leaders, including longtime stalwart Joe Reed and party chairman Randy Kelley, say they disagree with Isner and are not encouraging Democrats to vote in the GOP primary.

Since closed primaries are now officially part of their platform, Republican party leaders are expected to lobby legislators to put closed primaries into law in the 2027 regular session.

A closed primary would mean that all voters would have to register in advance as Democrat, Republican, Independent or other. Voters could then vote only in the primary of the party in which they are registered.

Under existing law, any voter can select which party primary in which they wish to vote when they show up to vote in the first primary. They then are prohibited from switching to another party primary for a runoff.

The process of allowing all Alabama voters to register by party would be a lengthy undertaking by voter registrars in each of the state’s 67 counties. The next statewide election would be in 2028 with the cycle beginning in March 2027.

Sorrell, a former member of the Alabama House, said “Let’s get serious about closing our primaries. Let’s send Chairman (Scott) Stadthagen to Montgomery in the next legislative session armed with a new party platform update to illustrate just how serious we are about this bill passing.”

Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler is a freelance writer about the colorful and positive in Alabama — her people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].