Two districts in Alabama are running special primary elections today. Check in with us after polls close at 7 p.m. (CDT) for the election results.
First, in the 16th state house district, which covers northern Tuscaloosa up into Fayette and Jefferson Counties, the seat is vacant after Republican Kyle South took a job as CEO of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. Six Republicans are running in the primary to replace him, including Tuscaloosa Municipal Court Judge Bryan Brinyark, Fayette County Commissioner Brad Cox, and Alabama Coal Mine Commissioner Greg Fanin. If no candidate achieves a 50%+1 majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff election on October 24. Only one Democrat filed to run in this heavily Republican district, so there will be no Democratic primary.
In District 55, the seat is vacant after Democrat Fred Plump resigned as part of a plea deal for charges of conspiracy to defraud the Jefferson County Community Service Fund and obstruction of justice. The 55th District covers central Jefferson County and stretches into Birmingham. Seven Democrats filed to run for the vacancy, including former Fairfield Mayor Kenneth Coachman, Jefferson County Democratic Conference co-chair Ves Marable, and Fairfield City Councilor Phyllis Oden-Jones. If no candidate achieves a 50%+1 majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff election on October 24. No Republicans filed to run in this deep blue district, so there will be no Republican primary.