The Greater Birmingham Young Republicans (GBYRs) met on Thursday to hold their officer elections. Chair Stephanie Petelos Nabavian was elected to her second term as GBYR Chairperson, defeating challenger Christian Brown.
“I am so happy to continue leading the Greater Birmingham Young Republicans!” Petelos said in a statement on Facebook. “The results last night, 85% in my favor, prove that our membership are excited to continue our path of growth, hosting unique events, and building a strong community of like minded and passionate young people. I am so thrilled about the exceptional new board I get to serve with! Thank you so much for allowing me to continue serving you!”
Petelos told Alabama Today that in the last year, she grew the club to such a point that they were able to break off the Shelby County Young Republicans as their own group. She hopes to possibly do the same, creating other groups, perhaps Gardendale, in the future.
“With kids and a long work day, it is asking a lot for them to get on Interstate 65 and fight traffic to get here (Vestavia Hills). Some of them aren’t able to do that,” Petelos said.
Petelos is also the Chair of the Alabama Federation of Young Republicans.
Petelos told Alabama Today that the COVID-19 global pandemic and the shutdown of the restaurants had a detrimental effect on the Young Republicans statewide. She said her goal is to grow the GBYRs to what they were a few years ago before the group’s more recent setbacks.
Petelos previously was the Chair of the Federation of College Republicans. She recently got married and finished law school.
She is the daughter of former Hoover Mayor and Jefferson County Manager Tony Petelos. Her mother is a former Jefferson County judge.
Brown said that running for the position was a “learning experience.”
Josh Cox was elected Vice Chair, and Taylor Martin was elected Secretary.
In other business, the group voted to hold the GBYR Christmas Party on Tuesday, December 12, at the Fish Market Restaurant in downtown Birmingham. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen (R) is expected to be the speaker.
New Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin (R) addressed the group.
“This is a treat for me to come meet with the yrs because I missed this when I was coming through,” Bolin said.
Bolin is a former Jefferson County Probate Judge and a former Alabama Supreme Court Justice. He was elected to the Jefferson County Commission this summer in a special election when Steve Ammons left the Commission to accept a new position.
“Some of you here will hold elected office,” Bolin said. “It might be county commissioner, it might be a judge, it might be governor.”
Eric Lee discussed the special election coming up in January in House District 16.
HD16 represents part of western Jefferson County, Northern Tuscaloosa County, and Fayette County in the Alabama House of Representatives. Republican Brian Brinyark faces Democrat Bubba Underwood. The seat was previously held by Rep. Kyle South (R-Fayette), who left on July 1 to accept a role with the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce.
Lee said he is working with Terry Richmond and the Jefferson County Republican Party to help get out the Republican vote for that special election to elect Brinyark. They need phone bankers to call Republican voters in HD16 to remind them to come to the polls.
Lee said that the next meeting of the Jefferson County Republican Party Executive Committee is November 21 at the Homewood Public Library.
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