MONTGOMERY, Ala. — An Alabama lawmaker says he will sponsor of legislation that would require all of the state’s elected constitutional officers to be natural-born U.S. citizens, a measure that would make Alabama an outlier among the 50 states.
The Natural Born Citizen Constitutional Amendment (SB 21), championed by Secretary of State Wes Allen as the centerpiece of his legislative agenda, would need approval from both chambers of the Alabama Legislature before going to voters for ratification on Nov. 3, 2026.
“Most people believe that is already a requirement and so we should ensure that we make it a prerequisite for serving,” State Senator Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) said in a statement announcing his sponsorship of the bill. Representative Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) will carry the companion measure in the House.
Breaking with National Precedent
If enacted, Alabama would become the first state in modern times to impose such a requirement on its top officials. While the U.S. Constitution mandates that the president be a natural-born citizen, no state currently requires the same of its governor or other constitutional officers…