text: Before that, each county was represented by one state senator, leading to under-representation in the state senate for more urbanized, populous counties.The rural bias of the state legislature, which had also failed to redistrict seats in the state house, affected politics well into the 20th century, failing to recognize the rise of industrial cities and urbanized areas."The lack of home rule for counties in Alabama has resulted in the proliferation of local legislation permitting counties to do things not authorized by the state constitution.Alabama's constitution has been amended more than 700 times, and almost one-third of the amendments are local in nature, applying to only one county or city.A significant part of each legislative session is spent on local legislation, taking away time and attention of legislators from issues of statewide importance." Alabama is an alcoholic beverage control state, meaning the state government holds a monopoly on the sale of alcohol.The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board controls the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages in the state.A total of 25 of the 67 counties are "dry counties" which ban the sale of alcohol, and there are many dry municipalities in counties which permit alcohol sales.Politics During Reconstruction following the American Civil War, Alabama was occupied by federal troops of the Third Military District under General John Pope.In 1874, the political coalition of white Democrats known as the Redeemers took control of the state government from the Republicans, in part by suppressing the black vote through violence, fraud, and intimidation.After 1890, a coalition of White Democratic politicians passed laws to segregate and disenfranchise African American residents, a process completed in provisions of the 1901 constitution.Provisions which disenfranchised blacks resulted in excluding many poor Whites.