Alabama Republicans Pass Voter Suppression Bill And DEI Ban [Video]

Republicans in Alabama are pushing forward with their culture war initiatives.

On Tuesday, state lawmakers approved a bill prohibiting paid assistance with absentee ballot applications and another restricting diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state agencies and universities. 

The two bills will now go to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

According to AP, the absentee voting bill would make it a misdemeanor to give voters pre-filled absentee ballot applications or to turn in another voter’s completed application. The bill also makes it a felony to receive a payment or gift “for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, prefilling, obtaining, or delivering a voter’s absentee ballot application.”

Republicans claim the bill is aimed at controlling “Ballot harvesting.”

“Our elections are the foundation of our constitutional republic, and nobody should be paid for their absentee application or their ballot, Secretary of State Wes Allen wrote in a press release. “Ballot harvesting should not be …