Two districts in Alabama are running special primary runoffs 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. No candidate achieved a 50%+1 majority of the vote in the six-person field in the September 26th primary, so the top two vote-getters advanced to today’s runoff. Tuscaloosa Municipal Court Judge Bryan Brinyark and Fayette County Commissioner Brad Cox were separated by just 15 votes in that contest. Only one Democrat filed to run in this heavily Republican district, so there was no Democratic primary. The general election will take place on January 9, 2024.
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, but no candidate was able to break 50% of the vote in this race as well. Birmingham police sergeant Travis Hendrix was the top vote-getter in that contest with Sylvia Swayne coming in second. Swayne is the first openly transgender person to run for state office in Alabama, and if she wins, would be the first to hold office. No Republican filed to run in this deep blue district, so today’s race will decide who fills the vacant seat.