Local Referendums & Statewide Amendments
Local referendums and the two statewide constitutional amendments on Tuesday's ballots received mixed results.
Pickens County Vote "Yes"
Alabama voters are typically in a "no new taxes" frame of mind and that concerned Pickens County officials who had proposed a countywide referendum adding an extra $10.00 vehicle registration fee to secure funding for emergency medical services in the rural West Alabama county.
To the relief of the officials, ambulance crews, doctors and first reponders, the electorate agreed. Only 37% of the county's registered voters turnout to cast a ballot Tuesday but a remmarkable 70.73% or 3,457 voters said yes. 1,435 or 29.27% said no.
State Rep. Ron Bolton (R-61) has been working with Pickens County officials since the county lost in-county ambulance service in December 2024 after the provider ceased operations due to severe funding shortages that followed the closure of the medical center in Carrollton.
The county subsequently reformed its Emergency Management Service with the help of assiatnce from Lamar County, Alabama Fire College, donations and grants. Bolton assisted in that effort and sponsored the legislation that got the referendum placed on the primary ballot with the funds raised going only to ambulance operations. He believes there are lives that will be saved by allowing at least two ambulances to service the county 24/7..
"We will be able to have the 24-hour ambulances we have had there since last May," Bolton said in reaction to the final vote result. "I was very pleased with the support we got from the community. This is a service that is really needed and needed to be sustained."
Walker County Votes "No", Twice
While voters approved the tax for ambulance service in Pickens County, residents of Walker County followed a troubling Alabama trend of defeating taxes for schools.Both measures were renewals of taxes already in place and did not propose any increase in current tax rates but more than 10,000 voters said no to each.
One measure extending a 1.2-mill tax would have continued to generate approximately $1.20 for every $1,000 of assessed property value for schools, while the other, a 3.8-mill countywide tax would have continued to produce about $3.80 per $1,000 for schools.
The final vote total was:
- 1.2 mill tax referendum: Yes 4,191 (29.3%), No 10,126 (70.73%)
- 3.8 mill tax referendum: Yes4,149 (29.03%), No 10,142 (70.97%)
Statewide Constitutional Amendments Pass
With all 67 Alabama counties reporting their results, both statewide amendments to the constitution were approved by voters.
- Amendnment 1 expands Aniah’s Law to allow judges the ability to deny bond to defendants who are accused of certain violent crimes in addition to those passed by the intial Aniah's Law. Yes 689,688 (81.59%), No 155,603 (18.41%)
- Amendment 2 prevents the reduction of Alabama district attorney salaries while they serve their six-year term in office. Yes 474,083 57.75%) No 346,823 (42.25%).
Both amendments now cecome state law.
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