Alabama Constitution Section 39 - Arrangement and designation of county boundaries; new counties.
Alabama Constitution – Section 39
Text:
"No county line shall be altered or changed, and no new county shall be established, except by law; but no new county shall be established by reducing any other county to less than six hundred square miles in area; and no county shall be formed under the provisions of this article unless it contain a population of at least one-tenth of the entire population of the state, as shown by the next preceding federal census."
Explanation:
Section 39 of the Alabama Constitution lays down rules for changing county boundaries or creating new counties. Here's what it says, in simpler terms:
County changes only by law:
County boundaries cannot be changed, and new counties cannot be created, unless done through a law passed by the legislature.
Minimum size requirement:
A new county cannot be formed if doing so would reduce any existing county’s area to less than 600 square miles.
Minimum population requirement:
A new county must have a population that is at least one-tenth (10%) of the state's total population, according to the most recent U.S. Census.
Purpose:
This section is meant to:
Prevent arbitrary or politically motivated boundary changes,
Ensure counties remain viable in terms of geographic area and population,
Maintain administrative efficiency and fairness in representation and governance.
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