The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, within the first five days of the session of the Legislature, in the presence of a majority of the members of the Legislature, open the returns furnished under Section 17-12-19, ascertain and proclaim the result of such election, after which such returns shall be filed and kept in the office of the Secretary of State, subject to the inspection of any elector of the state. The person having the highest number of votes for either of the offices shall be declared duly elected; but if two or more shall have an equal and the highest number of votes for the same office, the Legislature, by joint vote, without delay, shall choose one of the persons for the office. The duty of the speaker and of the joint conventions, under this section, shall be purely ministerial.
Structure Code of Alabama
Chapter 12 - Canvassing Returns/declaring Results.
Section 17-12-1 - Conclusion of Voting; Locking of Equipment; Certificates of Result.
Section 17-12-2 - Statements of Results.
Section 17-12-4 - Procedures Upon Malfunction of Equipment.
Section 17-12-5 - Retest of Equipment.
Section 17-12-6 - Counting Upon Close of Polls.
Section 17-12-7 - Preservation of Ballots by Sheriff.
Section 17-12-9 - Delivery of Certificates to Judge of Probate; Forwarding to Secretary of State.
Section 17-12-10 - Posting of Certificate of Result.
Section 17-12-11 - Returns of Election - How Made; Duty of Judge of Probate.
Section 17-12-12 - Returns of Election - Sealing, Delivery, and Disposition of Records.
Section 17-12-13 - Procedure; Improperly Marked Ballots.
Section 17-12-14 - Ballots to Be Counted, Labeled, Sealed, and Delivered to Returning Officer.
Section 17-12-15 - Time and Manner of Canvassing.
Section 17-12-16 - Certification of Results.
Section 17-12-17 - Canvass of Election Returns by State Officials.
Section 17-12-18 - Governor Proclaims Result of Certain Elections.
Section 17-12-19 - Returns of Election of State Officers.
Section 17-12-20 - List of Registered Voters Open to Inspection.
Section 17-12-21 - Certificates of Election to Members of Congress and Legislators.
Section 17-12-22 - Results of Election of State Officers; Resolution of Tie Votes.
Section 17-12-23 - How Tie Vote Decided.