Group Offering Churches $6-a-Ballot to Help People to Vote Early

Alabama’s election’s chief says a group’s offer to pay churches $6 for every person they help to vote early this year does not violate any law. The “New South Souls to the Polls Initiative” is offering to pay churches a $6 contribution for each documented early vote.

Former state Sen. Hank Sanders is an organizer of the effort. He says the $6 is to compensate groups for transportation, and time to help people vote early. He says it is not tied to voting a particular way.

Secretary of State John Merrill said there is nothing nefarious as long as the $6 is not tied to voting a particular way.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)