2018 Elections Guide
People across Alabama will head to the polls Nov. 6 to cast their vote on candidates from local commissions to the state governor and U.S. Congress.
Iron City Ink has worked with Birmingham Watch and the Alabama Initiative for Independent Journalism to compile the following list of candidates on the ballot in your area. This includes short biographies to help you get to know your State and U.S. Congressional candidates better.
The list below does not include candidates who are unopposed in the general election, as those races were decided in the primaries in July.
Voters must have a valid form of photo ID. Ballots will vary based on the voter’s specific address. To check your polling place and registration or learn more about voting guidelines, visit alabamavotes.gov.
For more on the elections, visit birminghamwatch.org.
AL HOUSE, DISTRICT 45
► Dickie Drake, R (I)
○ Place of residence: Leeds
○ Political experience: Elected, Alabama House of Representatives special election, 2011; re-elected in 2014; member of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee and Judiciary Committee; member, Jefferson County Republican Executive Committee.
○ Civic experience: Board member, Leeds Chamber of Commerce; past president and board member, Leeds Historical Society; past vice president, Leeds Jaycees; past president, Leeds Youth Baseball; youth baseball coach, 17 years; member, Leeds Exchange Club; member, Chief’s Council, 117 ARW; member, E-9 Association of the State of Alabama; advisory board member, Lehigh Hanson; advisory board member, Three Hots and a Cot, an organization for homeless veterans; deacon, Leeds First Baptist Church.
○ Main issues you would like to address if elected to office: Drake lists a range of issues including property and gun rights, education, health care and veterans’ affairs. He also called for fairness in sewer rates and is pro-life and a supporter of the Second Amendment.
► Jenn Gray, D
○ Place of residence: Irondale
○ Political races run: First-time candidate for Alabama House District 45.
○ Political offices held: None
○ Civic experience: Board of Trustees, Alabama Waldorf School, 2014-present; Girl Scouts Troop Leader, 2014-present.
○ Main issues you would like to address if elected to office: “My top priority is to fully fund Alabama’s First-Class Pre-K program. Alabama has the No. 1 voluntary pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds in the country, but it is only available to about 30 percent of eligible children because of inadequate funding. Quality pre-K programs produce a quality workforce and result in better job opportunities and a more robust economy for the entire state. Our First-Class Pre-K program gives Alabama a 7-to-1 return on our investment.
“I support the education lottery, which will provide $300 million a year to Alabama education without raising taxes.
“I’m in favor of reducing or eliminating the grocery sales tax, which is currently 10 percent in much of House District 45.”
JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF
○ Mike Hale, R (I)
○ Mark Pettway, D
JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
► Place 3
○ Pamela Wilson Cousins, D
○ Davis Lawley, R
► Place 11
○ Jill Ganus, R (I)
○ Thomas Thrash, D
JEFFERSON COUNTY COURT JUDGE, CIRCUIT 10
► Place 8
○ Marshell Jackson Hatcher, D
○ Tracey Crisan McDonald, R
► Place 16
○ Linda Hall, D
○ Teresa T. Pulliam, R (I)
► Place 27
○ Alaric May, D
○ Leslie Schiffman Moore, R
JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, CIRCUIT 10
○ Mike Anderton, R (I)
○ Danny Carr, D
JEFFERSON COUNTY PROBATE JUDGE
► Place 1
○ Alan King, D (I)
○ John Tindle, R
JEFFERSON COUNTY CIRCUIT CLERK
○ Jackie Anderson-Smith, D
○ Philip Brown, R
STATEWIDE
► Governor
○ Kay Ivey, R (I)
○ Walter Maddox, D
► Lieutenant Governor
○ Will Ainsworth, R
○ Will Boyd, D
► Secretary of State
○ John Merrill, R (I)
○ Heather Milam, D
► Attorney General
○ Steve Marshall, R (I)
○ Joseph Siegelman, D
► Public Service Commission, Place 1
○ Cara McClure, D
○ Jeremy Oden, R (I)
► Public Service Commission, Place 2
○ Chip Beeker, R (I)
○ Kari Powell, D
► State Supreme Court Chief Justice
○ Tom Parker, R
○ Robert S. Vance, D
► State Supreme Court, Place 4
○ Jay Mitchell, R
○ Donna Wesson Smalley, D
► State Auditor
○ Miranda Joseph, D
○ Jim Zeigler, R (I)
► Alabama Board of Education,District 4
○ Yvette Richardson, D (I)
○ Don Wallace, R