At ALA Alabama Girls State each delegate assigned a city, county, political party, and legislative body in which they are an active citizen, and they are allowed to vote and participate in the political process. ALA Alabama Girls State employs a two party political system, and each citizen will be randomly assigned to a political party. The two parties at ALA Alabama Girls State are the Federalist Party and the Nationalist Party. Neither party is associated with any real life political party. Each year, citizens develop their own party platforms and their own style of governing. At ALA Alabama Girls State, the city elections are nonpartisan, while elections within the House, Senate, and county statewide offices (such as Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer, etc.) are partisan elections.
There are elected offices on three levels of government – city, county, and state. A delegate may offer and run for any office, whether it is Mayor of her city or Governor. All it takes is determination and the will to succeed. If one does not win an election, one may run for another office. Girls State depends on the leadership of its elected officials.
There is a $50 limit on campaign spending for all ALA Alabama Girls State positions, and candidates for office will be asked to sign a pledge stating they have not exceeding the campaign spending limits.
Check out the links below for information on the elections timeline, plus information on city, county, state, party, and legislative offices that delegates can run for.
Political Parties
& Legislature
Federalists/Nationalists
Upon their arrival to ALA Alabama Girls State, each delegate will be assigned to either the Federalist or Nationalist party. In Party Conventions and Meetings throughout the week of Girls State, delegates will elect party leaders, break into committees, write a party platform, and conduct primary elections. Each Party will have a Chairman, Vice Chairman, and a Secretary/Treasurer. All of which will be elected on the Sunday Night Party meeting at AGS. |
House/Senate
Each delegate will also be assigned to a chamber of the legislature, either the House of Representatives or the Senate. These legislative meetings are a time for the delegates to draft and propose bills addressing issues impacting the State of Alabama. After the first meeting (where delegates will elect legislative officers and break into committees), legislative sessions will be devoted to debating and discussing the bills through parliamentary procedure. Each chamber will conduct its own elections during Monday's session. Offices include: House: Speaker of the House, Clerk, Sergeant at Arms Senate: President Pro Tempore, Secretary of Senate, Sergeant at Arms Each Chamber will also have an appointed chaplain. |