Alabama Secretary of State says no-excuse voting won't lead to higher voter turnout

Area.

You're taking a live look outside the madison county courthouse.

Today - lines wrapped around the building as people dropped off their absentee ballot in person.

Absentee and mail-in voting is how alabamians can early vote this election.

"no excuse" early voting is against alabama state law.

Waay31's megan reyna learned why the secretary of state is confident in alabama's current voting process - and why one activist disagrees - megan?

According to the national conference of state legislatures... some kind of early voting is allowed in 43 states including alabama with absentee ballots.

But only 34 states have "no excuse early voting".

It has some people questioning -- why not alabama?

Merrill says: "it doesn't work in alabama because it's against the law."

You'll still see lines wrapped around the madison county courthouse -- as people wait to turn in their absentee ballot.

Nats more people taking part in this form of early voting than ever before.

Merrill says: "we've actually had 286,000 absentee ballot applications successfully submitted and more than 221, 000 absentee ballots successfully returned."

But secretary of state john merrill says if lawmakers decided to change the current law prohibiting no excuse early voting -- it would cost the state more money -- and wouldn't make a huge impact on voter turnout.

Merrill says: "it should be noted that currently for the sixth consecutive election we have broken records for voter participation with the way the laws are currently amended and the administration of the election in its current form."

However -- voting activist fred whitlow ii believes lawmakers should continue to expand voting access.

He's been working all summer and fall to get people registered to vote and seen first-hand how early voting options have helped encourage people to take part.

Whitlow says:"the majority of our country is doing it, the majority of those engaged are finding success.

Not only that, but there's not only more participation, but there are more resources."

And it's a change that both republicans and democrats can get behind.

Limestone county republican party chairman noah wahl says the local party doesn't have an official stance on the issue -- but he personally would support changes in order to make voting easier for people.

The madison county democratic chairman and state representative anthony daniels feels the same.

In fact -- he said representative thomas jackson introduced a bill expanding early voting but it never made its way to a committee.

However -- both merrill and governor kay ivey insist alabama's voting process works the way it is.

Merrill says:"why would you want everybody to pay for the convenience for a few?

" come november third -- employers in alabama are required to allow their employees to have time off in order to vote.

The employee just has to give a reasonable notice and they have up to an hour to vote.

Reporting live in hsv mr waay 31 news.