Election skeptics seek Alabama secretary of state’s office
The Republican runoff for Alabama secretary of state features two candidates who have voiced concerns about election and voter roll integrity while opposing the expansion of early or absentee voting. One candidate, state Auditor Jim Zeigler, is endorsed by a key supporter of former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and the other, state Rep. Wes Allen, is vowing to withdraw from a national system of shared voter registration data. The two face off Tuesday for the GOP nomination for secretary of state, the state’s top elections official. The winner will take on Democratic nominee Pamela J. Laffitte, a law enforcement officer from Mobile, in November. Interest in secretary of state contests across the nation has surged in the wake of the 2020 election as Republicans campaign on suspicions of voter fraud and, in some cases, deny the result of the last presidential election. Zeigler joined the “America First Secretary of State Coalition,” a slate of candidates who continue to question the legitimacy of the 2020 election, and is endorsed by Trump ally Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder. Several America First candidates have secured GOP nominations, including Jim Marchant in Nevada, a key political battleground. Another candidate, Jody Hice, lost in Georgia as Trump tried unsuccessfully to unseat Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “I’m not an election denier. I’m an election questioner. There are many questions about the 2020 election,” Zeigler said in an interview. Allen is a former probate judge who oversaw elections on the county level and is a current member of the Alabama Legislature. In the House of Representatives, Allen sponsored bills to ban curbside voting as well as outside donations to election offices — legislation fueled by conservatives’ suspicions about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s donations to help election offices deal with the coronavirus pandemic. “A core function of our government is to administer safe, secure, transparent elections, and we can do that. I just don’t think that we need that private money infiltrating local jurisdictions that oversee our elections,” Allen said. The League of Women Voters of Alabama, Black Voters Matter, and other groups opposed the donation ban, calling it a possible voter suppression measure that would hurt the state’s poorest counties by prohibiting them from accepting grants and other help. Allen also has championed a proposal to remove Alabama from the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC. The system allows the 31 participating states to securely share voter registration data, so they know if someone has moved to another state or died and remove them from their roll. “They are outsourcing who is taking care of our voter registration information. So, on Day 1, I’ll start the process of getting us out of ERIC,” Allen said. Zeigler has said he would review ERIC participation but has not campaigned on withdrawing. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, also a Republican, said the push to withdraw from ERIC would actually undermine election security because of its importance in maintaining clean voter rolls. He said the system has had “zero instances” of known problems. Merrill, who cannot run again because of term limits, said he is disheartened by the campaign trend to cast doubt on the integrity of elections and registration maintenance systems. “I am concerned about it because it breeds potential problems in people’s minds. When that happens, it can actually put people in a defensive posture and think, if their candidate loses, ‘Well, then the reason my candidate lost is my candidate got cheated.’ It could just be that you have a poor candidate, or your candidate is not very well funded, or your candidate did not have a good plan for a political campaign.” Merrill said. Allen was one of a handful of Alabama probate judges who stopped issuing marriage licenses to anyone to avoid giving them to same-sex couples after federal court ruled that gay couples had a right to marry. Couples had to go to a neighboring county until lawmakers changed the process. As a member of the Alabama Legislature, he also sponsored legislation, currently blocked by a federal judge from taking effect, that made it a felony to treat transgender minors with puberty blockers or hormones. Zeigler was elected state auditor in 2014 and cannot seek reelection because of term limits. Although the role of state auditor is to keep track of state property and has limited official duties, Zeigler turned the office into a public platform to play gadfly to Republican administrations. In 2016, Zeigler filed an ethics complaint against then-Gov. Robert Bentley, accusing him of misusing state resources after audio leaked of the governor having a romantically charged conversation with a top aide. “As the state auditor, I served as a watchman for the public against government waste, mismanagement, and corruption. As secretary of state, I will serve as a watchman for election integrity and participation,” he said. Both Allen and Zeigler oppose expanding voting beyond Election Day, such as early voting or allowing people to vote by absentee ballot without certifying an illness or travel-related reason. The Democratic candidate in the race, Laffitte, said Alabama should join the majority of states that allow early voting or no-excuse absentee ballot voting. People in both parties are busy with work, child care, and other obligations, she contended and would benefit by having more convenient methods to vote. She said voter turnout is low in Alabama because “we continue to run things as if we are running in the dinosaur days.” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
A look at nominations for five statewide offices
The party nominations for five statewide offices, including secretary of state on the Republican side and governor on the Democratic ticket are on the ballot in Tuesday’s primary runoff election in Alabama. The GOP nomination for a lone congressional seat also will be decided. Here is a look at the races: SECRETARY OF STATE With many Republican voters embracing former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election, the two remaining GOP candidates to become Alabama’s top elections official, secretary of state, campaigned on themes of tightening election security. Jim Zeigler, who was barred from seeking another four years as state auditor because of term limits, dubbed himself a “watchman” against ballot fraud, so-called “ballot harvesting,” and voting by mail. Trump has blamed all those and more for his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden, and many GOP voters believe him despite a lack of evidence. Rep. Wes Allen is a state representative from Troy who previously served as probate judge in Pike County. Citing the potential for fraud, he opposes early voting and no-excuse absentee balloting and sponsored a law that barred “curbside” voting meant in part to make it easier for people with disabilities to cast a ballot. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte, an Air Force veteran and corrections supervisor in Mobile County, in November. The current secretary of state, Republican John Merrill, couldn’t run again because of term limits. GOVERNOR Either Yolanda Rochelle Flowers or state Sen. Malika Sanders Fortier will become the first Black person to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in Alabama in the Democratic runoff for governor. Flowers, a career educator from Birmingham, narrowly led a six-person field in the May primary. She ran on a platform of “reconstructing” Alabama by rebuilding its economy and systems for education, health care, and criminal justice. Among other things, she has advocated for a state lottery and a state minimum wage of $15. Fortier, a state lawmaker from Selma, campaigned on the theme of building the biblical “beloved community” promoted by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by improving the state’s economy, schools, and health care. She is the daughter of former state Sen. Hank Sanders and attorney Faya Rose Toure. The eventual winner face Gov. Kay Ivey, who vanquished eight challengers to win the GOP primary without a runoff. Nearly four times as many people voted in the Republican primary as the Democratic primary in May, and Republicans hold every statewide office. STATE AUDITOR Stan Cooke and Andrew Sorrell are vying for the Republican nomination to succeed Zeigler as state auditor. Cooke, a pastor from the Jefferson County town of Kimberly, claims Alabama is at a crossroads where it could remain a conservative state or come under the control of liberal Democrats. Echoing former President Donald Trump’s false claims of election theft, he is highlighting the auditor’s role in appointing county election officials who can prevent Democrats from stealing elections. Sorrell, a state representative from Colbert County who led balloting in the May primary, also tried to make election security a prime issue, saying a strong auditor is needed to appoint county registrars who will keep voter rolls clean. The eventual nominee will not have a Democratic opponent in the fall. U.S. HOUSE North Alabama’s 5th District features the only runoff for one of the state’s seven U.S. House seats. In the Tennessee Valley region, Madison County Commission chair Dale Strong and Casey Wardynski, a former Huntsville school superintendent, advanced to a runoff from a field of six candidates in May. Strong led easily with about 45% of the vote but couldn’t avoid a runoff. The winner will face Democrat Kathy Warner-Stanton of Decatur. The 5th District seat is being given up by U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who is in a runoff with former business lobby leader Katie Britt for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. ALABAMA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Two Republican incumbents on the Alabama Public Service Commission face runoff challenges to keep their jobs on the utility-regulating board. Jeremy Oden, a former state legislator from Cullman seeking his third term on the three-member commission, cast himself as a conservative bulwark against liberal environmental policies. He received the most votes in May in a four-way race for the Place 1 seat that saw attorney Brent Woodall, a PSC staffer, and Republican activist, come in second. First elected to the PSC in 2014, former Greene County Commissioner Chip Beeker also portrayed himself as an opponent of Democratic environmental policies in his campaign to retain the Place 2 seat. Beeker, who led the primary vote, is opposed by Robert L. McCollum, a small business owner from Tallapoosa County who contends the commission is too close to Alabama Power Co. No Democrat qualified for either position, making a victory in the Republican runoff tantamount to election.
Jim Zeigler picks up endorsement of Alabama Republican Assembly for Secretary of State
The group that calls itself “the Republican wing of the Republican party” has endorsed Jim Zeigler for Secretary of State in this Tuesday’s Republican runoff. The Alabama Republican Assembly, a 25-year-old statewide organization, says “Zeigler has been a watchdog for taxpayers.” He faces off against State Rep. Wes Allen on Tuesday. Zeigler led the May primary with 43% to Allen’s 39%. State ALRA President Don Wallace stated, “Jim Zeigler has been a watchdog for the Alabama taxpayers his entire career. He has stood for honest government, and the Alabama Republican Assembly believes he will stand strong for honest and transparent elections.” “Jim Zeigler has been a conservative leader in our state, and the Alabama Republican Assembly recognizes his commitment to good government with our endorsement to be the next Secretary of State,” Wallace continued. The winner of Tuesday’s Republican nomination faces Democrat Pamela Lafitte and Libertarian nominee Matt Shelby in the November general election. On Thursday, Zeigler stated, “Over the next eight years, the job of Secretary of State will be vital. We face national attempts to manipulate honest election procedures. Alabama needs a proven fighter against government overreach to be our fighting Secretary of State.”
Jim Zeigler: Alabama needs voter registration by parties
In Alabama, the Republican primary has effectively become a general election – where the voters are essentially choosing who will be elected. In statewide races, winning the Republican nomination is “tantamount to election.” As Alabama continues to elect Republicans statewide, Democrats will have more and more incentive to infiltrate the Republican primary and select candidates sympathetic to their agenda. We cannot have Democrats influencing Republican elections and vice versa. We must ensure Democrats are not exploiting this system of trust. Accordingly, we must ensure only Democrats are voting in the Democrat primaries, and only Republicans are voting in Republican primaries. A high priority as your Secretary of State would be working with the legislature to implement political party registration, where the voters of Alabama declare their party on their voter registration ahead of the primary election. Voters not declaring as Republicans will not vote in the Republican primary, and voters not declaring as Democrats will not vote in the Democratic primary. We must work with party leaders and leaders in the legislature to swiftly and unequivocally put an end to crossover voting. As your ‘watchman,’ I will promote safeguards to make sure no one is exploiting this system of trust. I will ensure election integrity by ensuring Republican voters are the only ones voting in the Republican primary. I believe a big part of protecting the integrity of the electoral process includes protecting the integrity of the party nominating process. A vote for Jim Zeigler is a vote for election integrity. Jim Zeigler runs in the June 21 runoff for the open seat of Secretary of State. He faces Rep. Wes Allen.
Jim Zeigler: Flag Day, the almost-forgotten day
I commemorate Flag Day each June 14 with flags and red-white-and-blue items at our home, the State Auditor’s office, my car, and even my clothes. Often, people will remark: “You’re getting ready for Independence Day mighty early,” or some other comment that lets me know they do not realize it is Flag Day, June 14. I call Flag Day “the almost-forgotten day.” It is not a federal holiday like Memorial Day or Independence Day, but it comes almost mid-way between them. It is easy to forget Flag Day since it is not a state or federal holiday. A patriotic song that commemorates our flag is not as well known as the Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless America, and God Bless the USA. It is “You’re a Grand Old Flag:” You’re a grand old flagYou’re a high-flying flagAnd forever in peace may you waveYou’re the emblem ofThe land I loveThe home of the free and the braveEv’ry heart beats trueUnder red, white and blueWhere there’s never a boast or bragBut should old acquaintance be forgotKeep your eye on the grand old flag June 14 was officially established as Flag Day by a proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. On August 3, 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress that designated June 14 as National Flag Day. The date coincides with the adoption of the flag by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. Interestingly, and probably surprisingly, the colors of the flag have no official meaning. The same colors are used in the Great Seal, though, and they do have meaning. Red represents valor and strength, white represents purity and innocence, and blue represents perseverance and justice. The Flag Code, part of the U.S. Code, contains specific instructions on how the flag is to be used and displayed and how it is to be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. On Flag Day 2022, let us display our flag with gratitude for our country and the price that has been paid for our freedom, as well as with a resolve to remain “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Jim Zeigler has been the State Auditor of Alabama since 2015.
Jim Zeigler leads Secretary of State race but says “way too close”
State Auditor Jim Zeigler currently leads the Republican primary for Secretary of State, but he says the margin is “way too close.” Zeigler has 34.4% and Rep. Wes Allen has 28.2% in the McLaughlin & Associates poll paid for by the Alabama Forestry Association. According to the poll, a whopping 37% of voters remain undecided. 500 likely Republican voters were polled June 6-9. The Forestry Association has endorsed Allen. Zeigler says the race has boiled down to “Zeigler and the taxpayers vs. the Montgomery special interest groups. “My six-point lead could be wiped out by hundreds of thousands in special interest money against me on TV and social media,” Zeigler said. In the May 24th first primary, Zeigler led with 43% to Allen’s 39%. The two will meet in a faceoff hosted by Eagle Forum of Alabama Monday at the Gardendale Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. It is open to the public and is free. It also features the two runoff candidates for State Auditor, Stan Cooke and Andrew Sorrell. The runoff is June 21, 2022.
Jim Zeigler, Wes Allen in GOP runoff for secretary of state
Outgoing State Auditor Jim Zeigler and state Rep. Wes Allen advanced to the Republican primary runoff to succeed GOP incumbent John Merrill as Alabama’s top elections officer, secretary of state. Zeigler was barred from running again as auditor by term limits, and Allen served nearly a decade as probate judge in Pike County. Neither could get above the 50% vote threshold in a race that also included Ed Packard, who worked in the secretary of state’s elections division for nearly 25 years, and Christian Horn, a GOP activist and business owner from Madison County. None of the four candidates raised major complaints about election problems in Alabama, which is controlled by Republicans and voted heavily for President Donald Trump in 2020. But all talked about measures needed to tighten election security, an issue popularized among conservatives by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden. The eventual Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte of Mobile in November. Merrill couldn’t seek the office again after serving two terms. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Stan Cooke, Andrew Sorrell to compete in GOP runoff for state auditor
State Rep. Andrew Sorrell of Muscle Shoals and Stan Cooke, a pastor from Kimberly, were the top two vote-getters in the GOP primary for state auditor and will compete in a runoff. Sorrell, who led balloting on Tuesday, and Cooke eliminated Rusty Glover, a former history teacher from Semmes who served in the state Senate, to advance to the June 21 vote. Winning the Republican nomination is tantamount to election because no Democrat qualified to run for auditor. Candidates for auditor typically emphasize the importance of keeping track of state property, but all three Republicans talked about election security in the era of false claims about a stolen presidential vote in 2020 because the auditor has a role in selecting county registrar boards. Copying false claims by former President Donald Trump, Cooke’s campaign website said Alabama must get ahead of Democrats before they “try and steal our elections as they did in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and even our neighbor to the east, Georgia.” The incumbent, Jim Zeigler, could not seek reelection after serving two terms and is running for secretary of state. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama GOP voters decide secretary of state, other nominees
Republican voters in Alabama will decide their party’s nominees in four statewide races Tuesday after campaigns in which many of the candidates touted their devotion to faith, former President Donald Trump, and guns. A statewide constitutional amendment to fund park improvements also is on the ballot. Here are the key races to watch: SECRETARY OF STATE Four Republicans and one Democrat are on the primary ballot to succeed GOP incumbent John Merrill as Alabama’s top elections officer, secretary of state. Ed Packard, who worked in the secretary of state’s elections division for nearly 25 years, is seeking the Republican nomination in a field that includes Jim Zeigler, who was barred from running again as state auditor by term limits; state Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, who served nearly a decade as probate judge in Pike County; and Christian Horn, a GOP activist and business owner from Madison County. None of the four candidates has raised major complaints about election problems in Alabama, which is controlled by Republicans and voted heavily for President Donald Trump in 2020. But all have talked about measures needed to tighten election security, an issue popularized among conservatives by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden. Merrill couldn’t seek the office again after serving two terms. The eventual Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte of Mobile in November. ATTORNEY GENERAL Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall faces a single primary challenger as he seeks a second four-year term as the state’s main law enforcement official. First appointed to the position in 2017, Marshall is opposed by Harry Bartlett Still III, an attorney from Daphne. Marshall, who previously served as district attorney in Marshall County, regularly opposes initiatives launched by Democratic President Joe Biden, including vaccination requirements for COVID-19 and federal policies along the border with Mexico, and he testified against the nomination of now-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Still contends corruption is rampant in state government and that the agency that oversees police standards and training in the state needs to be reorganized to increase public trust in law enforcement. He also supports replacing Alabama’s heavily amended constitution, passed in 1901 to ensure white supremacy. The winner will face Democratic nominee Wendell Major, police chief in the Birmingham-area city of Tarrant, in November. STATE AUDITOR Candidates for Alabama state auditor typically emphasize the importance of keeping track of state property, but three Republicans seeking the office this year added another talking point in the era of false claims about a stolen presidential vote — election security. Stan Cooke, a pastor from Kimberly; Rusty Glover, a former history teacher from Semmes who served in the state Senate; and state Rep. Andrew Sorrell of Muscle Shoals all are emphasizing the auditor’s role of selecting county registrar boards as they seek the office. Almost directly echoing false claims by former President Donald Trump, Cooke’s campaign website says the state must get ahead of Democrats before they “try and steal our elections as they did in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and even our neighbor to the east, Georgia.” The incumbent, Jim Zeigler, couldn’t seek reelection after serving two terms and is running for secretary of state. Winning the Republican nomination is tantamount to election because no Democrat qualified to run for auditor. SUPREME COURT One Republican candidate for the Alabama Supreme Court is trying to woo voters with a mix that includes his devotion to God and former President Donald Trump. The other is emphasizing her experience in the courtroom — and her gun. Greg Cook, an attorney from metro Birmingham, and Debra Jones, a circuit judge who hears cases in Calhoun and Cleburne, are seeking the Republican nomination for the Place 5 Supreme Court seat held by Justice Mike Bolin, who is retiring. Cook is portraying himself as a “Trump-tough” Republican who was a Trump delegate and represented conservative interests in the 2000 presidential recount contest in Florida between Al Gore and President George W. Bush. Aside from partisan and legal qualifications, Cook’s campaign resume features his longtime church membership and leadership. Jones released a commercial late in the campaign boasting of her support for Trump, her short stature — “She’s 5 feet of concrete” — and a case in which she sentenced a person convicted of child molestation to more than 1,000 years in prison. The spot shows her firing a handgun and saying the only reason she didn’t put the person “under the jail” was “the liberals” wouldn’t let her. All nine members of the court are Republicans, and the winner of the Place 5 race will be a heavy favorite over Democrat Anita L. Kelly, a judge in Montgomery, in the general election. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT Voters will decide whether to let the state go into debt for $85 million in bonds to spruce up Alabama’s state parks and historical sites. A statewide constitutional amendment on the ballot would provide $80 million in funding for state park projects that include adding and improving camping sites, adding wireless service, upgrading electrical and water service, replacing playgrounds, constructing swimming pools, and repairing parts of Gulf State Park damaged by Hurricane Sally. The remaining $5 million would go to the Alabama Historical Commission for acquiring, renovating, and maintaining historical parks around the state. The agency wouldn’t be allowed to use the money at Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury. The park is funded by a tax that was originally intended for needy Confederate veterans. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama Conservative Party endorses Tim James for Governor
The campaign for Tim James announced today that The Alabama Conservative Party has endorsed James for Governor of Alabama. The Alabama Conservative Party is the exclusion state affiliate of the national political party, Conservative Party USA. “…There is a strong stand out in our opinion. That Stand out is Tim James. Tim has a very strong message backed with solid workable plans to address some of the real issues in Alabama. These set Tim apart from the rest,” the endorsement stated. The group emphasized how the “betrayal” of the Kay Ivey Gas Tax issue swayed their position. The Alabama Conservative Party stated that Ivey “must be defeated” as Alabama’s Governor in the GOP Primary. “Plans not just dry rhetoric on abolishing tax on essentials like food and to remove the Ivey gas tax plus stop the forever increases without a vote and how to pay for it all. Tim clearly shows respect for the U.S. Constitution in his policies and also holds the values we stand for in Conservative Party Alabama. For these Reasons Conservative Party proudly Endorses Tim James for Governor of Alabama in the upcoming 2022 May GOP Primary,” the endorsement continued. James expressed thanks for the endorsement. ”Conservative voices across the nation are being silenced, and it is an honor to receive the endorsement of The Alabama Conservative Party. Alabama needs a Governor who has the grit and the strength to fight back, and I stand ready to be a firewall for this state,” James commented. Additionally, the group has endorsed Mo Brooks for the U.S. Senate race, Jim Zeigler for the Secretary Of State position, Andrew Sorrell for State Auditor, and Brent Woodall for PSC Place 1.
Offices including secretary of state contested in Alabama
The campaigns for U.S. Senate and governor have gotten the most attention leading up to Tuesday’s primary in Alabama, but five other statewide races are on the ballot. With multiple candidates in some races, some nominations may not be decided until after runoff elections scheduled for June 21. Here are some of the key races to watch: SECRETARY OF STATE Four Republicans and one Democrat are on the primary ballot to succeed GOP incumbent John Merrill as Alabama’s top elections officer, secretary of state. Ed Packard, who worked in the secretary of state’s elections division for nearly 25 years, is seeking the Republican nomination in a field that includes Jim Zeigler, who was barred from running again as state auditor by term limits; state Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, who served nearly a decade as probate judge in Pike County; and Christian Horn, a GOP activist and business owner from Madison County. None of the four candidates has raised major complaints about election problems in Alabama, which is controlled by Republicans and voted heavily for President Donald Trump in 2020. But all have talked about measures needed to tighten election security, an issue popularized among conservatives by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden. Merrill couldn’t seek the office again after serving two terms. The eventual Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte of Mobile in November. ATTORNEY GENERAL Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall faces a single primary challenger as he seeks a second four-year term as the state’s main law enforcement official. First appointed to the position in 2017, Marshall is opposed by Harry Bartlett Still III, an attorney from Daphne. Marshall, who previously served as district attorney in Marshall County, regularly opposes initiatives launched by Democratic President Joe Biden, including vaccination requirements for COVID-19 and federal policies along the border with Mexico, and he testified against the nomination of now-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Still contends corruption is rampant in state government, and that the agency that oversees police standards and training in the state needs to be reorganized to increase public trust in law enforcement. He also supports replacing Alabama’s heavily amended Constitution, passed in 1901 to ensure white supremacy. The winner will face Democratic nominee Wendell Major, police chief in the Birmingham-area city of Tarrant, in November. STATE AUDITOR Candidates for Alabama state auditor typically emphasize the importance of keeping track of state property, but three Republicans seeking the office this year added another talking point in the era of false claims about a stolen presidential vote — election security. Stan Cooke, a pastor from Kimberly; Rusty Glover, a former history teacher from Semmes who served in the state Senate; and state Rep. Andrew Sorrell of Muscle Shoals all are emphasizing the auditor’s role of selecting county registrar boards as they seek the office. Almost directly echoing false claims by former President Donald Trump, Cooke’s campaign website says the state must get ahead of Democrats before they “try and steal our elections as they did in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and even our neighbor to the east, Georgia.” The incumbent, Jim Zeigler, couldn’t seek re-election after serving two terms and is running for secretary of state. Winning the Republican nomination is tantamount to election since no Democrat qualified to run for auditor. SUPREME COURT One Republican candidate for the Alabama Supreme Court is trying to woo voters with a mix that includes his devotion to God and former President Donald Trump. The other is emphasizing her experience in the courtroom — and her gun. Greg Cook, an attorney from metro Birmingham, and Debra Jones, a circuit judge who hears cases in Calhoun and Cleburne, are seeking the Republican nomination for the Place 5 Supreme Court seat held by Justice Mike Bolin, who is retiring. Cook is portraying himself as a “Trump-tough” Republican who was a Trump delegate and represented conservative interests in the 2000 presidential recount contest in Florida between Al Gore and President George W. Bush. Aside from partisan and legal qualifications, Cook’s campaign resume features his longtime church membership and leadership. Jones released a commercial late in the campaign boasting of her support for Trump, her short stature — “She’s 5 feet of concrete” — and a case in which she sentenced a person convicted of child molestation to more than 1,000 years in prison. The spot shows her firing a handgun and saying the only reason she didn’t put the person “under the jail” was that “the liberals” wouldn’t let her. All nine members of the court are Republicans, and the winner of the Place 5 race will be a heavy favorite over Democrat Anita L. Kelly, a judge in Montgomery, in the general election. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT Voters will decide whether to let the state go into debt for $85 million in bonds to spruce up Alabama’s state parks and historical sites. A statewide constitutional amendment on the ballot would provide $80 million in funding for state park projects that include adding and improving camping sites, adding wireless service, upgrading electrical and water service, replacing playgrounds, constructing swimming pools, and repairing parts of Gulf State Park damaged by Hurricane Sally. The remaining $5 million would go to the Alabama Historical Commission for acquiring, renovating, and maintaining historical parks around the state. The agency wouldn’t be allowed to use the money at Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury. The park is funded by a tax that was originally intended for needy Confederate veterans. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
4 Republicans vying for secretary of state nomination
Four Republicans are vying for the nomination for Alabama secretary of state, the official responsible for overseeing state elections. Ed Packard, who worked in the secretary of state’s elections division for nearly 25 years, faces State Auditor Jim Zeigler, state Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, who served nearly a decade as probate judge in Pike County; and Christian Horn, a GOP activist and business owner from Madison County. The primary election will go to a June 21 runoff unless one candidate captures over 50% of the vote on Tuesday. The GOP nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte of Mobile in November. Packard has worked in the elections division of the Secretary of State’s Office for nearly 25 years, helping to administer over 400 elections and training county and city election officials. He said he also worked to defend the state’s photo ID requirements. Maintaining election integrity is a primary function of the office, he said. Packard said he wants to see stiffer penalties for violating state election laws, noting some of the offenses are only misdemeanors. “There is a $500 fine for littering, a $500 fine for buying a vote. That needs to be changed,” Packard said at a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Alabama. Packard said he would also like to give voters the ability to opt-out of the state selling their information to private groups. Separately, Packard in 2006 reported then-Secretary of State Nancy Worley to the attorney general for soliciting campaign contributions and support from her state employees. Worley later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge. Allen, a state legislator and a former probate judge of Pike County, is also stressing his experience. “I’m the only candidate in the race that’s been a chief election official,” Allen said. He also pointed to his legislative work on election issues. Allen was appointed to serve as a probate judge of Pike County in 2009 by then-Gov. Bob Riley and won election in 2012. After being elected to the Alabama House of Representatives, he sponsored legislation to ban curbside voting as well as a bill to make it illegal for election offices to accept private donations for voter education, outreach, and registration programs. Alabama was one of several GOP-controlled states that banned such donations — a movement fueled by conservatives’ suspicion about donations by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in 2020 to help offices deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans argued it is needed to protect election integrity; opponents said it would hinder election administration in poor counties and have a chilling effect on efforts to help people register and vote. Zeigler was elected as state auditor in 2014 and cannot seek re-election because of term limits. The role of state auditor is to keep track of state property. However, Zeigler turned the office into a public platform to weigh in on other state issues, often serving as a gadfly to Republican administrations in the state. Zeigler in 2016 filed an ethics complaint against then-Gov. Robert Bentley, accusing him of misusing state resources after audio leaked of the governor having a romantically charged conversation with a top aide. “I will move the watchman role I played as state auditor to the secretary of state’s office as a watchman for election integrity,” Zeigler wrote in an email. He said he also wants to focus on the business organizations section and the role the office plays in paperwork for international adoptions. Horn, a GOP activist and business owner from Madison County, has stressed his outsider status and support for election security measures, such as voter identification requirements. Horn said he wants hand-count audits of every election as a means to fight election fraud. Horn, who is African American, noted his parents and ancestors had to fight for the right to vote, including his World War II veteran grandfather, but he also criticized what he called modern-day “woke politics” as destructive. “I will lead all people, as a son and grandson of parents who could not vote, and a brain aneurysm survivor who was paralyzed and cared for by women and men of all races, I want to use my platform to be a bridge to bring people together,” Horn said. Horn is chairman of the Tennessee Valley Republican Club and played football for the University of Michigan. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
