Voters in Alabama State House District 49 went to the polls and selected Republican Russell Bedsole to be their new state representative.
Bedsole received 1,599 votes (63,18 percent) to Democratic nominee Cheryl Patton’s 930 votes (36.74 percent). Two voters wrote in someone else, and 2,531 votes were cast.
Bedsole said on social media: “We won. Thank you for your support. I’m excited to get to work for District 49.”
“We offer our congratulations to Russell Bedsole on his apparent victory,” said Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan. “He will be a welcome addition to our majority in the Alabama House of Representatives. His platform and core convictions on the issues mirror those of his constituents and our Party. We look forward to working with Russell and thank him for his willingness to serve.”
Provisional ballots will be counted on Nov. 24, 2020, and the governor, secretary of state and attorney general will certify the election by Dec. 9, 2020. This means it is likely that Bedsole will be sworn in and able to participate in a December or January special session. There are rumors that Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is considering a special session to consider justice reform measures and some limited liability for businesses and schools during the coronavirus crisis.
Bedsole is a captain with the Shelby County sheriff’s department and an Alabaster city councilman.
House District 49 is comprised of parts of Shelby, Bibb and Chilton counties and became vacant with former State Rep. April Weaver, R-Briarhill, resigned to take a position with the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services.
This was a Republican district so is a hold for the Republican supermajority in the Alabama House.
