The platform of the Alabama Republican Party now contains a plank supporting closed primaries and party registration. State Auditor Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) made the motion to make closed primaries a part of the official platform. The party cannot itself mandate closed primaries but can promote the measure in the state legislature, which meets starting in February 2027. Since closed primaries are now officially part of their platform, Republican party leaders are expected to lobby legislators to put closed primaries into law in the 2027 regular session. A closed primary would mean that all voters would have to register in advance as Democrat, Republican, Independent or other.