By Samuel Mattison
Alabama Political Reporter
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced a special election for Alabama House District 4 after former state Rep. Mickey Hammon, R-Decatur, left the seat after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations.
Ivey’s said it was “imperative” to let constituents in the district vote at the “earliest possible opportunity.” She ended by urging all the people living in the district to vote. Ivey’s statement makes no mention of Hammon’s guilty plea.
The party primaries for the seat are set for Dec. 12, 2017, and the general election is set for Feb. 27, 2018. If there is a runoff, the general election will be pushed back to May 15, 2018.
Hammon, who is a former House Majority leader, pleaded guilty to a felony involving mail fraud relating to his campaign account. The U.S. Attorney’s office said Hammond used campaign money to pay for personal expenses.
The former House Majority leader stepped down from the position in February after the Republican caucus held a vote of confidence, which Hammon narrowly survived.
Hammon now faces sentencing, which could land him in prison for up to 20 years.
