Alabama ballot measure · November 3, 2026
Alabama Statewide Amendment 2, explained
Process for merging county school systems. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.
The official wording
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to provide a process for the creation of a consolidated county school system by merging two or more contiguous county boards of education; to require the State Board of Education to conduct an impact study on the potential effects of the consolidation; to require publication of the impact study; to provide a procedure for protesting a proposed consolidation of two or more county school systems; and to require the State Board of Education to adopt rules. (Proposed by Act 2026-378)
This is what appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.
What it actually means
This would write into the constitution a route for two or more neighbouring county school systems to merge under a single multi-county board of education. Before any merger, the State Board of Education would have to study its effects and publish the study. Residents could force a public vote on the merger by petition. Nothing would be merged by this amendment itself; it sets the procedure for boards that choose to try.
If you vote YES
- Two or more contiguous county boards of education could agree, by a formal resolution adopted by all members of each board, to consolidate their systems under one multi-county board, setting out how debts would be paid, how the new board would operate and when the merger would take effect.
- Before any merger, the State Board of Education would have to conduct an impact study covering students, families, educational quality, programs, staff, facilities, transportation and operations, finances and taxes, community identity and governance, and post it on the state education department's website at least 30 days before the final resolution.
- If, within 30 days of the resolution, 25 percent of the qualified electors in any of the affected school systems filed a written protest, the merger could not happen unless approved at a referendum at the next regularly scheduled general election by a majority of voters in the combined territory.
- A merged board would take on the debts and contractual obligations of the boards that formed it, and the State Board of Education would adopt rules to implement the process.
If you vote NO
- No multi-county board of education process would be added to the constitution, and no impact study or protest referendum would be constitutionally required before county systems combined.
- Consolidation would continue to be governed by statute alone: Section 16-8-13 of the Alabama Code for consolidating schools within a county, Section 16-8-14 for adjoining counties, and Section 16-8-17 for county and city systems, which already allows a referendum where 25 percent of qualified electors protest within 30 days.
- Alabama would keep its existing district structure — the National Center for Education Statistics counted 138 school districts in the state, 66 of them countywide.
Why supporters say YES
Small county systems could merge their administrations and put the savings into classrooms: "They could join with another board, or two or even three. They could combine some of that administration and they could put more money back in the classroom."
— Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur), the amendment's sponsor, speaking during House debate
The organisation is monitoring the bill and supports local control, and teachers back anything that moves more resources into classrooms: "They're facing greater student needs than ever and more challenges than ever, so anything we can do to get more resources in the classroom is great."
— Allison King, governmental affairs manager, Alabama Education Association
Why opponents say NO
Merging systems of very different sizes would be hard on rural communities: "I can take my system in Hale County. For instance, we have two high schools, two middle schools, two elementary schools and a career [and technical education] building. But then my system in Greene County has one high school, one middle school and one elementary school. So if you try to combine those systems, how would you balance it?"
— Rep. Curtis Travis (D-Tuscaloosa), speaking during House debate
What’s genuinely uncertain
- No committee has registered to support or oppose the amendment, and no county systems have publicly announced plans to merge; Rep. Collins did not name any during debate.
- How much this changes existing law is disputed. State law already addresses consolidation of adjoining county systems and of county and city systems; the amendment's sponsor argued a constitutional provision is needed before boards can pursue a multi-county board, and the new elements are the required impact study and the constitutional protest route.
- The amendment does not say how a merged board's members would be apportioned among the counties; that is left to the merging boards' resolution and to implementing legislation.
The bottom line
Creating a constitutional route for neighbouring county school systems to merge — with a required state impact study and a petition-triggered referendum — against leaving consolidation to existing statutes; its backers say it would cut administrative costs in small districts, while a rural legislator says combining unequal systems raises questions the amendment does not answer.
One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.
Checking it against the official text
The Alabama Secretary of State publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.
Confirm this with the official source
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Alabama Secretary of State.
Other measures on the Alabama ballot
Candidates on the same ballot
- U.S. Senate election in Alabama
- Alabama governor's race
- Alabama's 1st congressional district
- Alabama's 2nd congressional district
- Alabama's 3rd congressional district
- Alabama's 4th congressional district
- Alabama's 5th congressional district
- Alabama's 6th congressional district