By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Alabama Representative Jim Barton (R) from Mobile announced on Wednesday that he is running for the Alabama Senate for District 35. Senate District 35 became vacant when Senator Ben Brooks (R) resigned to become a Mobile County Circuit Judge.
Barton represents the Alabama House District 104 and is currently the powerful Chairman of the House General Fund budget committee.
Rep. Barton said, “I was raised in Mobile County and proud to be raising my children here as well. I understand the values and challenges in our community. When elected to the Senate I will continue the fight I started in 2001 when I was elected to the House of Representatives to make sure that what we hold dear is protected.”
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley announced the special election on Wednesday. Gov. Bentley said, “This election timeline was designed to have a senator in place for District 35 as soon as possible. The timeline gives candidates time to qualify, it allows voters time to learn about candidates, and it allows time for those who are unable to vote in-person to arrange to vote by absentee ballot.”
Rep. Barton is a businessman who owns several restaurants. He is married and he and his wife, Kim, have two children, Ward and Georgianne. Barton is a member of St. Ignatious Catholic Church in Mobile. Barton has won several Legislator of the Year Awards, most recently by the Alabama District Attorneys Association.
The Special Primary Election for District 35 will be held on Tuesday, January 29, 2013. In the very unlikely event that no one contests either the Republican or Democratic primaries, the Special General Election will be held on Tuesday, January 29, 2013. If a runoff is needed to settle on the major party’s candidate the Special Primary Runoff Election will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2013. If no runoff is necessary then the Special General Election will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2013.
If primaries and a primary runoff are both necessary then the Special General Election will not be held until Tuesday, April 23, 2013.
The deadline to qualify to run as either a Republican or a Democrat is next Wednesday, December 12th at 5:00 pm. Both political parties must certify their qualified candidates at the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office by 5:00 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012.
Third party or independent candidates must collect signatures of registered voters who live in the district to qualify for ballot access. All of those petitions and all of the accompanying paperwork must be submitted to the Secretary of State’s office by no later than 5:00 on Thursday, December 13th.
District 35 covers much of Mobile County.
