| State government | | | | became essentially the only political party in every |
| Alabama's government is supervised by the Alabama | | | | Southern state. For nearly 100 years, local and state |
| Constitution, which was ratified in 1901. At more than | | | | elections in Alabama were decided in the Democratic |
| 770 amendments and 310,000 words, it is the world's | | | | Party primary, with generally no Republican challenger |
| longest constitution and is roughly forty times the length | | | | running. It was not until the 1980s that Republicans |
| of the U.S. Constitution. | | | | began to successfully challenge and win elections in |
| Alabama is divided into three co-equal branches: | | | | local and state offices. |
| The legislative branch is the Alabama Legislature, a | | | | Alabama state politics gained nationwide and |
| bicameral assembly composed of the Alabama House | | | | international attention in the 1950s and 1960s during the |
| of Representatives, with 105 members, and the | | | | American Civil Rights Movement, when it |
| Alabama Senate, with 35 members. The Legislature is | | | | bureaucratically, and at times, violently resisted protests |
| responsible for writing, debating, passing, or defeating | | | | for electoral and social reform. This ended up hurting |
| state legislation. | | | | Alabama's image and making it out to be a hotbed for |
| The executive branch is responsible for the execution | | | | racism. The state's governor during the period, George |
| and oversight of laws. It is headed by the Governor of | | | | Wallace, remains a notorious and controversial figure. |
| Alabama. Other members of executive branch include | | | | Federal politics |
| the cabinet, the Attorney General of Alabama, the | | | | From 1876 through 1956, Alabama supported only |
| Alabama Secretary of State, the Alabama | | | | Democratic presidential candidates, by large margins. |
| Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, the | | | | 1960 was a curious election; the Democrats won with |
| Alabama State Treasurer, and the Alabama State | | | | John F. Kennedy on the ballot, but the Democratic |
| Auditor. | | | | electors gave most of their electoral votes as a |
| The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the | | | | protest to someone else. In 1964, Republican Barry |
| Constitution and applying the law in state criminal and | | | | Goldwater carried the state. In the 1968 presidential |
| civil cases. The highest court is the Supreme Court of | | | | election, Alabama supported native son and American |
| Alabama. | | | | Independent Party candidate George Wallace over |
| Local and county government | | | | both Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. In 1976, |
| Alabama has 67 counties. Each county has its own | | | | Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter carried the state, |
| elected legislative branch, usually called the Board of | | | | the region, and the nation, but Democratic control of |
| Commissioners, which usually also has executive | | | | the region slipped thereafter. Since 1980, the |
| authority in the county. Due to the restraints placed in | | | | Republican party has become increasingly dominant in |
| the Alabama Constitution, all but 7 counties (Jefferson, | | | | Alabama's federal elections. In local politics, by contrast, |
| Lee, Mobile, Madison, Montgomery, Shelby, and | | | | Democrats still control many offices, such as their |
| Tuscaloosa) in the state have little to no home rule. | | | | large and long standing majority in the Alabama |
| Instead, most counties in the state must lobby the | | | | Legislature. |
| Local Legislation Committee of the state legislature to | | | | In 2004, George W. Bush won Alabama's nine |
| get simple local policies such as waste disposal to land | | | | electoral votes by a margin of 25 percentage points |
| use zoning. | | | | with 62.5% of the vote. The only 11 counties voting |
| Alabama is an alcoholic beverage control state; the | | | | Democratic were Black Belt counties, where African |
| government holds a monopoly on the sale of alcohol. | | | | Americans are in the majority. Alabama is one of the |
| State politics | | | | most conservative states in the country; Shelby |
| The current governor of the state is Bob Riley. The | | | | County, in suburban Birmingham, and the city of San |
| lieutenant governor is Lucy Baxley. The Democratic | | | | Francisco, California are the closest pair of greatly |
| Party currently holds a large majority in both houses of | | | | populated areas to being political polar opposites. In |
| the Legislature. Due to the Legislature's power to | | | | 2004, Bush won Shelby County, and John Kerry won |
| override a gubernatorial veto by a mere simple | | | | San Francisco, each with approximately 80% of the |
| majority (most state Legislatures require a 2/3 majority | | | | vote. Although it must be said, the above mentioned |
| to override a veto), the relationship between the | | | | black belt counties voted the most Democratic in the |
| executive and legislative branches can be easily | | | | country, giving 97% of the vote to Kerry. |
| strained when different parties control both branches. | | | | The state's two current U.S. senators are Jefferson B. |
| During Reconstruction following the American Civil | | | | Sessions III and Richard C. Shelby, both from the |
| War, Alabama was occupied by federal troops of the | | | | Republican Party. |
| Third Military District under General John Pope. In 1874 | | | | In the U.S. House of Representatives, the state is |
| the Redeemers took control of the state government | | | | represented by seven members, five of whom are |
| from the Republicans. After 1890 a coalition of whites | | | | Republicans, and two Democrats. The |
| passed laws to segregate and disenfranchise black | | | | Representatives are Jo Bonner, Terry Everett, Mike D. |
| residents. The state became part of the "Solid South," | | | | Rogers, Robert Aderholt, Bud Cramer, Spencer |
| a one-party system in which the Democratic Party | | | | Bachus, and Artur Davis. |