Special Session Preview

A special session to decide the fate of a lottery in Alabama begins Monday. The topic of a lottery has divided the legislature for nearly two decades, after former Governor Don Siegelman tried and failed to implement the lotto.

Governor Bentley called the special session to try to pass a bill that will allow Alabamians to vote on whether or not they want a lottery. Many are looking to neighboring states as examples of what an Alabama lottery could look like. Political Analyst Steve Flowers says regardless of what happens in the special session, Alabamians will still buy tickets.

“Over the last 17 years, there’s been an incremental acquiescence to, by Republican voters, who tend to be conservative republicans, that they would vote for the lottery now,” says Flowers. “Simply because they are aware of the fact that Alabamians are going to buy lottery tickets. They’re not going to preclude Alabamians from buying lottery tickets. They’re just going to buy them in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.”

The legislature will also name the new Speaker of the House at the beginning of the special session.