The major party primary runoff elections are being held tomorrow, July 17. There are a number of high profile offices including lieutenant governor, attorney general, supreme court justice place one, and commissioner of agriculture and industries on the ballot in the Republican primary runoff. There are no statewide races on the ballot in the Democratic party primary runoff; but there are a number of state senate and state house races on tomorrow’s Democratic primary runoff ballot.
For lieutenant governor there is a Republican primary runoff between Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh and state Representative Will Ainsworth. Cavanaugh is currently the Public Service Commission president and Ainsworth represents Guntersville in the state House. The Cavanaugh campaign is highlighting her experience; while Ainsworth’s campaign dismisses her as a “career politician.” Cavanaugh has brought up Ainsworth’s arrest record; which Ainsworth dismisses as a “college prank” and a boating registration violation.
For attorney general there is a Republican primary runoff between Steve Marshall and Troy King. Marshall was appointed attorney general by then Gov. Robert Bentley. King is a former AG. King has accused Marshall of violating the state’s ban on PAC to PAC transfers by taking $700,000 by the Republican Attorney General’s Association (RAGA) and of being an Obama Democrat as recently as 2010. Marshall claims that the PAC to PAC transfer ban does not apply to PACs based outside of Alabama. Marshall’s wife committed suicide two weeks after the primary.
For the Republican nomination for commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, Gerald Dial is running against Rick Pate. Dial is a state senator from Lineville, who has spent decades in the state legislature and Pate is a businessman, the Mayor of Lowndesboro and a prominent Charolais cattle breeder. Dial has produced court record showing that Pate was accused of domestic violence by his first wife. Pate denies ever beating his former wife.
For the Republican nomination for Supreme Court Justice Place 1 Brad Mendheim is running against Sarah Hicks Stewart. Both are judges. Mendheim was recently appointed to the court by Gov. Kay Ivey.
For Court of Civil Appeals Place 1 there is a Republican primary runoff between Christy Olinger Edwards and Michelle Manley Thomason. Thomason is the presiding judge in Baldwin County and has argued that she is the only family court judge in this race. 75 to 80 percent of the cases heard by the court of civil appeals involve family court decisions that are being appealed.
For Court of Criminal Appeals Place 2 there is a Republican primary runoff between Chris McCool and Rich Anderson. McCool is the district attorney for Fayette, Lamar, and Pickens County. Anderson is an assistant attorney general. The Court of Criminal Appeals hears the appeals of criminal trials.
In the Second Congressional District there is a Republican runoff between former Congressman Bobby Bright and incumbent Congresswoman Martha Roby in the Republican primary. In 2010 Roby defeated Bright in the general election. Bright has now switched to the Republican party and is accusing Roby of not being conservative enough. Roby has been endorsed by President Donald J. Trump (R) and Vice President Mike Pence (R).
For State Board of Education Place 2 there is a Republican primary runoff between Melanie Hill and Tracie West.
For State Senate District 6 there is a Republican primary runoff between incumbent Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Sheffield) and Steve Lolley, a banker from Guin.
There is a Democratic Party runoff in State Senate District 7 between Deidra Willis and Deborah Barros.
In State Senate District 13 there is a Republican primary runoff between Randy Price and Mike Sparks. Price is a Lee county cattle farmer and Sparks is the former head of the Alabama Forensics Science Lab.
In State Senate District 26 there is a Democratic primary runoff between Montgomery city Councilman “Coach” David Burkette and state Representative John Knight. Burkette is the incumbent having won the seat in May in a special election.
In State Senate District 32 there is a Republican primary runoff between Chris Elliott and David Northcutt.
In the Alabama House of Representative there are several primary runoff races.
In House District 17 there is a Republican primary runoff between Tracy Estes and Phil Segraves.
In House District 30 there is a Republican primary runoff between Robert McKay and B. Craig Lipscomb. McKay is the former Mayor of Ashville. Lipscomb is a Gadsden area architect.
In House District 38 there is Republican primary runoff between Debbie Hamby Wood and Todd Rauch.
There is a Democratic primary runoff in House District 55 between Neil Rafferty and Jacqueline Gray Miller.
In House District 77 there is a Democratic primary runoff between Malcolm Calhoun and TaShina Morris.
In House District 78 there is a Democratic primary runoff between longtime incumbent Alvin Holmes and Kirk Hatcher. Holmes has served in the House since 1974.
In House District 81 there is a Republican primary runoff between Terry Martin and Ed Oliver.
In House District 82 there is a Democratic primary runoff between incumbent Pebblin Warren and Johnny Ford.
In House District 83 there is a Democratic primary runoff between Patsy Jones and Jeremy “Mr. EYG” Gray.
In House District 88 there is a Republican runoff between Will Dismukes and Al Booth.
In House District 91 there is a Republican primary runoff between Rhett Marques and Lister H. Reeves, Jr.
In House District 102 there is a Republican primary runoff between Shane Stringer and Willie Gray.
There are also a number of judicial and county runoff elections.
Remember that under Alabama’s crossover voting law it is illegal to vote in a different runoff election than the party primary you participated in in June. If you voted in the Republican primary, you may not vote in the Democratic primary runoff. Similarly, if you participated in the Democratic primary you may not vote in the Republican primary runoff. Alabama does not have party registration, so no matter how you normally vote if you did not vote in either party primary you may participate in the primary runoff election of your choice.
You must bring a valid photo ID to the polls to participate in the election. There is no same day voter registration in Alabama so if you are not registered to vote it is too late to get registered for the runoff. You must vote exclusively at your assigned polling place.
