MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced the implementation of a new election security feature set to debut in the 2026 election cycle. Alabama will become the first state in the country to utilize security emblems on ballots that are invisible to the naked eye and can only be detected with specialized equipment.
The emblems, developed in partnership with Alabama’s ballot printing vendor, are designed to strengthen election security and safeguard against counterfeit ballots. Election officials in each county will receive the necessary equipment to authenticate the emblems.
“The implementation of this emblem system is taking our state’s election security to the highest level that it has ever been,” said Secretary Allen. He noted that the project has been in development since he first took office, with the goal of launching the system by 2026.
The emblems will first appear on absentee ballots for the 2026 Primary and Primary Runoff Elections. By the 2026 General Election, all ballots in the state will feature the security emblem. To maintain ballot integrity, the emblem’s placement and design will change with each election cycle.
“Protecting Alabama’s elections is of the utmost importance to me,” Allen said, highlighting the state’s position at the forefront of election security advancements.
Secretary Wes Allen, Alabama’s 54th Secretary of State, serves as the state’s Chief Elections Official. His office oversees more than 1,000 statutory responsibilities.
