MONTGOMERY – Taking the “state’s election security to the highest level,” Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said ballots in next year’s election will be enhanced with security emblems.

Alabama is the first state in the nation to work with its ballot printing vendor to implement the emblems that are invisible to the human eye, Allen said in a news release. They are detectable only with specialized equipment that will be provided to election officials in each county.

“The implementation of this emblem system is taking our state’s election security to the highest level that it has ever been,” Allen said. “My team and I have been working on the development and implementation of this level of ballot protection since my first days in office.

“Rolling out these ballot measures by the date of the 2026 election cycle was the goal, and I am honored to say it is a goal we have met.”

The security emblems will be in use for next year’s primary election and primary runoff election absentee ballots.

Beginning with next year’s General Election, all ballots in Alabama will include a security emblem. The placement and design of the emblem will be altered each election cycle to ensure ballot security.

“Protecting Alabama’s elections is of the utmost importance to me,”  Allen said.  “I am incredibly proud of the work my team and I have done to lead the nation in election security advancements.”