John Wahl, a Trump-endorsed former Alabama GOP chair, is under renewed scrutiny after reports that he voted in 2020 using an ID card he made for himself. State Auditor Jim Zeigler says he authorized the card and that it was professionally printed, while Secretary of State Wes Allen contends the card did not meet Alabama’s voter ID standards and called it "homemade." Wahl rejects the allegations as "campaign lies." The controversy could follow Wahl if he becomes the GOP nominee and underscores intra-party tensions over voter-fraud claims and ballot-access policies.
Trump-Endorsed Alabama Candidate Faces Scrutiny Over Use Of Self-Made Voter ID
John Wahl, the former chairman of the Alabama Republican Party who recently stepped down after receiving former President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the GOP primary for lieutenant governor, is facing renewed questions about the validity of an identification card he used to vote in 2020.
Background
Reporting by AL.com in 2022 first raised the issue: Wahl was permitted to cast a ballot in 2020 using an ID card he produced himself. Wahl told reporters the card had been "authorized" by State Auditor Jim Zeigler so he could volunteer on the auditor’s media team.
Conflicting Accounts
Zeigler told the Alabama Daily News this week that he "approved the ID as State Auditor, and it was professionally printed by a vendor — not homemade." However, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen told Newsweek in 2022 that the card — which identifies Wahl as a "regional press secretary" for the auditor’s office — did not meet the state’s voter ID standards.
John Wahl at the Alabama Republican Party's Trump Victory Celebration on April 3, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala.(Butch Dill / AP Photo)
Allen also posted a video alleging Wahl voted with a “homemade fake ID.” Wahl has denied the accusation, calling the secretary of state’s claims "campaign lies."
Why This Matters
The dispute has political overtones: Allen is a primary rival, and Wahl’s campaign is now navigating the fallout of both the reporting and the public accusations. The issue is likely to follow Wahl if he secures the GOP nomination, particularly because he has previously pushed allegations of voter fraud while advocating stricter voting rules.
The facts at issue remain: AL.com reported Wahl voted using the card in 2020; Zeigler says he authorized it and that it was professionally printed; the secretary of state has said the card did not meet state standards; and Wahl denies wrongdoing. Additional public records or official clarification from state election authorities would be required to resolve lingering questions about whether the ID complied with Alabama law.
Next Steps
Watch for any further statements from Wahl, Allen, Zeigler, or state election officials and for any campaign developments if Wahl advances in the primary. The episode highlights tensions within the GOP over claims of widespread voter fraud and the political consequences when a candidate’s own voting practices are questioned.
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