Alabama
Judge limits scope of lawsuit challenging Alabama restrictions on help absentee ballot applications
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A federal judge has sided with the state of Alabama in narrowing the scope of a lawsuit challenging a new law that criminalizes some ways of helping other people to apply for an absentee ballot.
Chief U.S. District Judge David Proctor ruled Wednesday that civic groups can pursue just one of their claims: that the law’s ban on gifts or payment for application assistance violates the Voting Rights Act’s assurances that blind, disabled or low-literacy voters can get help from a person of their choice. The judge granted the state’s request to dismiss the other claims raised in the lawsuit.
Alabama is one of several Republican-led states imposing new limits on voter assistance. State Republicans said they’re needed to combat voter fraud. The federal lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, the Legal Defense Fund and the Campaign Legal Center says it “turns civic and neighborly voter engagement into a serious crime.”
The new law, originally known as Senate Bill 1, makes it illegal to distribute an absentee ballot application that is prefilled with information such as the voter’s name, or to return another person’s absentee ballot application. And it created a felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, to give or receive a payment or a gift “for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, prefilling, obtaining, or delivering a voter’s absentee ballot application.”
Proctor said the organizations made a plausible claim that the restriction on compensation “would unduly burden a voter’s selection of a person to assist them in voting.” Plaintiffs said their paid staff members or volunteers, who are given gas money or food, could face prosecution for helping a voter with an application.
“A blind, disabled, or illiterate voter may require assistance ordering, requesting, obtaining, completing, and returning or delivering an absentee ballot application. Such assistance is guaranteed by Section 208, but it is now criminalized under SB 1 when done by an assistor paid or given anything of value to do so, or when the assistor provides any gift or payment to a voter,” Proctor wrote.
The new law has forced voter outreach groups to stop their work ahead of the general election. Alabama voters wishing to cast an absentee ballot in the Nov. 5 election have until Oct. 31 to hand deliver their absentee application. The deadline is two days earlier if they are mailing the application.
Kathy Jones of the League of Women Voters of Alabama said last month that the group has “basically had to stand down” from helping people with absentee ballot applications because of the uncertainty and fear.
Alabama had asked to have lawsuit dismissed in its entirety. The state attorney general’s office did not immediately comment on the decision.
“We are glad that the court recognized the rights of blind, disabled, and low-literacy voters in this order and that our claim under the Voting Rights Act will proceed,” lawyers for plaintiffs said in a joint statement Friday. “While we are disappointed that the court dismissed some of our other important claims, we intend to do everything we can in this case (and beyond) to ensure Alabamians can participate in our democracy fully and freely.”
The plaintiffs include the NAACP of Alabama, the League of Women Voters, the Greater Birmingham Ministries and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program.
Ringo, an abandoned puppy that was dropped off at the Madison Police Department earlier this week, will get the surgery he needs thanks to an outpouring of donations from the city’s residents.
On Dec. 9, the Madison Police Department said in a Facebook post it was trying to raise $2,000 so Ringo could get an injured leg amputated.
“Citizens of Madison, we need your help. Recently, an abandoned and abused puppy was brought to us—sweet, loving, and still full of hope despite what he’s been through,” the post said.
“To give him the chance at a healthy, happy life, he needs a surgery to amputate an injured leg. Once he recovers, he’ll be ready for adoption and would make an incredible addition to a loving Madison family—just in time for Christmas.”
Just three days later, the department said in an update that they’d raised the money they needed, and Ringo would get his surgery in the middle of January.
During a vet visit, the pup was given a clean bill of health and all his required shots.
“We completely met the goal and could not have done it without the help of all our citizens here so we greatly appreciate everything you guys donated for him,” an update video said.
Now the police department is asking for the community to step up again and help get Ringo adopted before his surgery.
“Our next thing we can do is have him adopted. He is ready to go into somebody’s home so he can get acclimated and ready to go before his surgery,” the post said.
Anyone interested in adopting Ringo is asked to call Madison’s Animal Control at 256-772-5694.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — No. 12 Alabama fell to No. 1 Arizona in Legacy Arena in the fifth annual C.M. Newton Classic. The Crimson Tide held a 2-point halftime lead, but got decimated in the second half, opening the first six minutes of the second frame with just two field goals made.
The top-ranked Wildcats went on to claim a 96-75 victory and dropped the Crimson Tide’s record in the event to 2-3.
“They’re obviously a really good team,” Nate Oats said. “There’s a reason they’re number one in the country. I thought the first half we played pretty well. We were down five on the glass and needed to clean it up a little bit, and then the second half we had this issue where we just haven’t had very good starts to the second half. We came out and didn’t have a very good start, and it got progressively worse. I think they scored, shoot 39 the entire first half. They had 39 in less than 12 minutes to start the second half.
“Start of the second half was bad. Obviously, they came out of halftime ready to play; we didn’t. The toughness factor was a problem. It’s impossible – I shouldn’t say impossible. It’s nearly impossible to win a game when your opponent gets 28 more field goal attempts than you. If you look, we outshot them from the field and from the free throw line, both percentage-wise. Free throws, they made one more free throw than we did and they got 28 more field goal attempts. You can’t win games giving your opponent 28 more field goal attempts. Offensive glass we had three the whole game, they had 22. We lost the rebounds by 20 again. This has been a recurring issue for us.”
Alabama History in C.M. Newton Classic
- 2021 – Davidson 79, Alabama 78
- 2022 – Gonzaga 100, Alabama 90
- 2023 – Alabama 101, Liberty 56
- 2024 – Alabama 100, Illinois 87
- 2025 – Arizona 96, Alabama 75
Watch the above video as BamaCentral writers Katie Windham, Hunter De Siver, and Will Miller, provide thoughts and takeaways from the Alabama men’s basketball team’s 96-75 loss against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday. The trio discusses the performance of the No. 12 Crimson Tide and the rebounding issues that continue to plague the program.
Even on a neutral floor, Alabama should feel plenty of support from the Birmingham crowd at Legacy Arena — enough to keep No. 1 Arizona on its toes.
Photo By – Imagn Images. Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) drives to the basket.
The Arizona Wildcats are regarded as the best team in the land once again and will put that moniker to the test when they hit the road to face Alabama in Birmingham.
Both of these teams will come into this matchup off strong wins. The Wildcats beat Tide rival Auburn by nearly 30 points, while Alabama blew out UTSA by 42.
I break down the matchup in my Alabama vs. Arizona predictions & college basketball picks for Saturday, December 13.
Arizona vs Alabama prediction
Arizona vs Alabama best bet: Alabama +1.5 (-110)
In name only, this will be a neutral site game but given the geography between the two teams and the fact that this game will be played in Birmingham, this is certainly going to be a very pro Tide crowd.
With that at the forefront, it’s enough to shift things and make Alabama my best bet to cover. I projected this number closer to three.
The Tide have the best unit on the floor: It’s offense. The Nate Oats math-ball shot profile led by Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway is kinda exactly what you want here.
Arizona’s defensive profile is more conducive to slowing down your traditional post and big to big actions, not exactly this one. What’s particularly concerning is allowing an above average scoring rate (.93 points per possession) on attacks + kicks along with 1.02 points per possession on big cuts and rolls.
These are two items that are a foundation of the Alabama offense. Their clearest edge is in transition and on the offensive glass, areas Alabama can at least partially control by taking care of the ball and keeping the floor spaced.
In a game that should be played in the 80s possession-wise with huge three-point volume, I’d rather have the side with more proven perimeter shot-making and multiple paths to scoring efficiently.
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Arizona vs Alabama same-game parlay
I started things off here with Holloway to go over his assists number. He’s the primary facilitator on the big cut-and-rolls, meaning he should benefit the most from these sets with an increase in assist volume.
This doesn’t even begin to mention how he’ll likely find some easy ones in transition.
Speaking of transition, I’ll finish our same-game parlay off with Jaden Bradley to go over his points total because of it. Alabama, somewhat a product of how they play, has one of the worst transition defenses in the country, and Bradley may be the best transition scoring option on the floor.
Arizona vs Alabama SGP
- Aden Holloway Over 4.5 assists
- Jaden Bradley Over 16.5 points
- Alabama +1.5
Our beyond the arc SGP: Wrightsell shoots from deep
Latrell Wrightsell should get plenty of clean looks from deep given how Arizona is likely to defend Alabama, so I paired his over 1.5 threes with the game Over.
I’m close to market on the number, but with two awful transition defenses, the pace and easy-runout points make me lean higher.
Arizona vs Alabama SGP
- Alabama +1.5
- Aden Holloway Over 4.5 assists
- Jaden Bradley Over 16.5 points
- Over 178
- Latrell Wrightsell Over 1.5 threes
Arizona vs Alabama odds
- Spread: Arizona -1.5 (-110) | Alabama +1.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Arizona -130 | Alabama +110
- Over/Under: Over 178 (-110) | Under 178 (-110)
Arizona vs Alabama betting trend to know
Arizona has hit the 1H Moneyline in 29 of their last 37 games (+21.10 Units / 1% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Arizona vs. Alabama.
How to watch Arizona vs Alabama
| Location | Legacy Arena at BJCC, Birmingham, AL |
| Date | Saturday, December 13, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Arizona vs Alabama key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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