Polls open for Alabama’s U.S. Senate special primary election

0
21
Election_I voted

Polls have opened for voters casting their ballots in Alabama’s U.S. Senate special primary election for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday for both the Republican and Democratic primaries.

Republican Sen. Luther Strange, who was appointed in February to fill the post temporarily by former Gov. Robert Bentley, is seeking to stave off a bevy of GOP challengers including former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, and Christian Coalition of Alabama leader Dr. Randy Brinson.

Other Republican candidates include Dr. James BerettaJoseph BreaultMary Maxwell and Bryan Peeples.

As for Democrats, polling gives Robert Kennedy, Jr. a lead in the 7-person field with former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones following behind. The remaining field took only single digits.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill last week said he’s expecting a low voter turnout for ​the primary​.
On Monday he said he’s projecting only 20​-2​5 percent of voters will go to the polls. ​Merrill said a primary ​typically ​brings ​out 30-32 percent​ of voters.

Unless one of the candidates can secure a 50 percent plus one majority of the vote in the Aug. 15 primary, Alabama voters will have to decide between the top two vote-getters in a Sept. 26 runoff. The general election is scheduled for Dec. 12.

Polling closes statewide at 7:00 p.m.