Alabama is three weeks out from the November 3 General Election, and much like any other midterm election, turnout is a big concern.

And it should be.

The primary election in May left a lot of Republicans in an uneasy state of mind.

I’ve heard a lot of different reasons for the increase in Democratic voter participation and the lack thereof for Republicans – but the most prevalent excuse is the assertion that our state is becoming less red and more purple.

Voter demographics are always changing, and that is something Republicans need to be mindful of – but the data from past elections quickly dismisses the idea that Alabama is somehow rapidly shifting to a purple state.

What actually happened is that Republicans simply didn’t get out and vote.

During the 2024 election cycle, over 1.46 million votes were cast for the Republican presidential ticket in Alabama, compared with 772,000 votes for the Democratic ticket.

Yet, in May, just 493,000 Republican ballots were cast for statewide candidates. A million or so Republican voters didn’t just up and disappear – they just didn’t vote.

Based on the numbers, you will not see our electoral votes in any presidential elections get cashed in for a Democratic candidate.

You will not see a Democrat win the race to be our next governor.

Constitutional offices will remain solidly red, as well.

But what you could see happen should Republicans not get to the polls on November 3 is a handful of key seats in the Legislature flip to Democratic control – which is something I am working day and night to prevent.

This begs the question: What has my Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives done for me, my family, or my community these last four years?

Well, if you are a parent and you send your child to a public school, that school has been on the receiving end of unprecedented financial support over the last four years.

The data coming out of Alabama’s public schools shows us that boost in resources, coupled with impactful legislation like the Literacy Act – which simply ensures kids can read at grade level before being promoted to the fourth grade – has resulted in Alabama being the most improved state in America for public education.

That success is not just happening in public schools. Thanks to the CHOOSE Act, the parents of nearly 40,000 students have been able to put their child in a participating private school.

To be clear, Democrats in the State Legislature fought tooth and nail to defeat the Literacy and CHOOSE Acts.

And since we are talking about education, we cannot forget about Alabama’s teachers. Thanks to Republicans, teachers have received pay raises seven out of the last eight years, resulting in Alabama having the highest starting salary for teachers among neighboring states.

During the 2025 Session, House Republicans also delivered teachers eight weeks of paid parental leave, a true workers’ compensation program, and funded a massive shortfall in their retirement and insurance program.

Cost of living is an issue that is front and center this cycle, and unlike the Democratic candidates running against incumbents, House Republicans actually have a record on lowering costs for Alabamians.

Everyone buys groceries, which is why House Republicans led the charge on cutting the grocery tax in half, which saves Alabama families roughly $236 per year.

For new and expecting parents, the state sales tax on formula, diapers, and maternity clothes has been cut.

If you are a homeowner in a growing area, you probably saw your property tax bill jump due to your home increasing in value. That is just plain wrong, which is why House Republicans put a cap on how much the county can increase your property taxes every year.

If you are an active duty servicemember deployed overseas, you no longer pay state income tax on your income, and the House GOP has also invested over $100 million in the state’s Military Dependent Scholarship Program.

And speaking of dependent scholarships, the children and spouses of Alabama’s law enforcement officers now have access to a dependent scholarship program that provides up to $2,500 per semester.

All totaled, House Republicans delivered more than $1.5 billion in tax cuts to Alabama families since 2022, which is the exact reason Alabama’s per capita tax collections have remained the lowest in the United States.

You also cannot forget Alabama’s record-breaking economy that has attracted $70 billion in new investments and created more than 100,000 new, high-wage jobs. That is the result of pro-business, pro-growth, and pro-workforce policies that are giving our children the opportunity to earn a great living without having to leave home.

I am proud of what House Republicans have accomplished over the last four years, but I am not willing to take any of it for granted.

Every tax cut, every investment in education, and every policy that has made Alabama a better place to live has been the result of Republican leadership.

Let me be clear: Alabama is not becoming a purple state, but if Republican voters stay home on November 3, we could wake up the next morning with a Legislature that looks different from the one that delivered these results.

That is why turnout matters.

Vote Republican on November 3.

Nathaniel Ledbetter serves as the Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives. He represents House District 24, covering DeKalb County.