Wes Allen announces withdrawal from voter registration group
Alabama’s new secretary of state, Wes Allen, announced the state’s withdrawal Tuesday from a 32-state voter registration partnership, a data-sharing effort that was designed to maintain accurate voter rolls but has sometimes become the target of conservative ire and conspiracy theories. A day after being sworn in, Allen sent a letter to the Electronic Registration Information Center, a non-profit linking 32 states and the District of Columbia, saying the state will no longer participate in the sharing of voter registration data. “I made a promise to the people of Alabama that ending our state’s relationship with the ERIC organization would be my first official act as Secretary of State,” Allen said in a statement. The letter said that Alabama would immediately cease transmitting data. The Republican, who had pledged during his campaign to withdraw from ERIC, cited privacy concerns Tuesday for the decision. “Providing the private information of Alabama citizens, including underage minors, to an out-of-state organization is troubling to me and to people that I heard from as I traveled the state for the last 20 months,” Allen said. The database was created as a tool to maintain accurate voter rolls and combat fraud by allowing states to know when someone moves, dies or registers elsewhere, but has sometimes been targeted by critics. In November, former Secretary of State John Merrill criticized Allen’s intent to withdraw. He said then that ERIC provides information that Alabama couldn’t otherwise access — such as other states’ voter registration and motorist driver’s license records — and has been a crucial tool for maintaining voting rolls. “I trust he has evaluated this situation and is making the decision based on what he believes to be in the best interest of the state of Alabama,” Merrill said on Tuesday. The issue of participation in ERIC was raised in at least one other state. The Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state said during the campaign that he would withdraw from ERIC if elected, but he lost. Louisiana withdrew earlier this year. However, another Republican campaigned on joining the partnership. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, also a Republican, proudly noted in stump speeches that the state had joined ERIC. Raffensperger said in 2019 that it would be a tremendous step forward for the integrity of Georgia’s voter rolls. According to the organization, the states that currently participate in ERIC are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia is also a member. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Kay Ivey sworn in for her second full term
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and other state constitutional officers will be sworn in today in Montgomery. Gov. Ivey, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate will be sworn in for their second term. Secretary of State Wes Allen and State Auditor Andrew Sorrell will be sworn in for their first terms. State Treasurer Young Boozer returns for another term. The festivities began Sunday with the Made in Alabama Reception at the Alabama Governor’s Mansion. The traditional Morning Prayer Service was held at 8:15 am. The Governor began inauguration day with an early morning prayer service at her home church, First Baptist Church in Montgomery. The Swearing-in Ceremony followed at 10:00 am. With one hand on the Bible, Governor Ivey took the oath of office on the Alabama State Capitol steps and was sworn into her second term as governor. The investiture ceremony for new Associate Alabama Supreme Court Justice Greg Cooke was on Friday. All of Alabama’s Constitutional Officers are Republicans since Democrats have been able to field a competitive slate of candidates since 2008 as the state increasingly tends to vote overwhelmingly Republican. Following the swearing-in ceremony, there will be a celebratory parade to mark the inauguration and another peaceful transfer of power. The parade will follow up Dexter Avenue to the historic 1859 State Capitol Building. The parade will showcase and celebrate Alabama’s diverse communities and talent. Attendance at the parade is free for all Alabamians and their families. Ivey will host an exclusive donor reception at 6:00 pm for her donors to thank those supporters who went above and beyond to keep Alabama working. The Inaugural Gala will follow at 7:00 pm. A formal gala will be held to commemorate Alabama’s first Republican female governor and celebrate Governor Ivey’s dedication to keep Alabama growing. Ivey was born on a cattle farm in Wilcox County during World War II on October 15, 1944. She is the oldest governor in the country. She graduated from Auburn University, where she served in the school’s student government association. She worked as a teacher in California before returning to Alabama, where she has held several posts in state government, including serving in Gov. Fob James’ cabinet and working for Speaker of the House Joe McCorquodale. Ivey served two terms as State Treasurer from 2003 to 2011. In 2010 she shocked the political world by unseating Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom Jr. in the 2010 Republican wave election that gave the GOP undivided control of the Alabama State government. Ivey was re-elected Lt. Gov in 2014. She was elevated to governor in April 2017 when then-Governor Robert Bentley resigned rather than be impeached. Ivey was elected in 2018 and then re-elected last November. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Personnel Update: David Brewer hired to work for Baldwin County legislative delegation
On Tuesday, the Baldwin County Commission approved an agenda item to hire David Brewer for a part-time position working for the Baldwin County Legislative delegation. Brewer is presently the Deputy Secretary of State & Chief of Staff for Secretary of State John Merrill who is finishing his last days as Secretary of State as he was term-limited from running for a third term. Former State Rep. Wes Allen is the incoming Secretary of State and has already announced his senior staff hires. Clay Helms will serve as Allen’s chief of staff. Brewer will advise the Baldwin County legislative delegation on matters of policy. Brewer is well versed in legislative affairs and Alabama election law from his time at the Secretary of State’s office. He is also well-versed in Baldwin County issues from his time as the Baldwin County Administrator. Brewer is a native of Alaska. He came to the state of Alabama to study at the University of Alabama. He joined Baldwin County in 1996 as an intern. He joined the county full-time in 1997 and became the county administrator in 2010. The commission voted not to renew his contract in 2014. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Inauguration for Gov. Kay Ivey will be January 16
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey was recently re-elected to a second term as Governor of Alabama. Gov. Ivey’s next four years will begin on January 16. Ivey and the other state constitutional officers will be sworn in at 10:00 am CST on the Capital steps in Montgomery. The festivities will begin on January 15 with the Made in Alabama Reception from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Governor Kay Ivey will kick off inaugural festivities by hosting an Alabama Made reception at the Alabama Governor’s Mansion. The traditional Morning Prayer Service will be held on January 16 at 8:15 am. The governor will begin inauguration day with an early morning prayer service at her home church, First Baptist Church in Montgomery. There she will petition our Heavenly Father for wisdom, guidance, and strength in leading the people of Alabama. The swearing-in Ceremony will follow at 10:00 am. With one hand on the Bible, Governor Ivey will take the oath of office on the Alabama State Capitol steps and publicly be sworn into her second term as governor. Other state constitutional officers likely to be sworn in include Will Ainsworth – Lieutenant Governor; Steve Marshall – Attorney General; Rick Pate – Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries; Wes Allen – Secretary of State; Andrew Sorrell – State Auditor, and Young Boozer – State Treasurer. Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker were both re-elected to the Public Service Commission. All of Alabama’s statewide constitutional officers are Republicans. Following the swearing-in ceremony, celebrate newly inaugurated officials with a parade up Dexter Avenue that showcases and celebrates Alabama’s diverse communities and talent at 12:00 pm. Attending the parade is free for all Alabamians and their families. Before the Inaugural Gala, Governor Ivey will host an exclusive donor reception at 6:00 pm for her donors to personally thank those supporters who went above and beyond to keep Alabama working. The Inaugural Gala will be at 7:00 pm. A formal gala will be held to commemorate Alabama’s first Republican female governor and celebrate Governor Ivey’s dedication to keep Alabama growing. The Governor’s inauguration committee is still accepting opportunities for donors as she is sworn into office for a second term as Alabama’s 54th governor. A $100,000 contribution gets you to the Governor’s Circle Level. Those high-dollar donors receive ten tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, ten tickets to the Prayer Service, forty priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, eight tickets to the special Donor Reception, and forty reserved seating tickets to the Inaugural Gala as well as two full-page, four-color advertisements in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program and acknowledgment in the program as a Governor’s Circle Level Inaugural Sponsor. A $50,000 donation is a platinum Level sponsorship. Those donors receive eight tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, eight tickets to the Prayer Service, twenty-four priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, six tickets to the special Donor Reception hosted by Gov. Ivey, twenty-four reserved seating tickets to the Inaugural Gala, full-page, four-color advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Platinum Level Inaugural Sponsor. A $25,000 contribution is gold level. That purchase six tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, six tickets to the Prayer Service, ten priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, four tickets to the special Donor Reception hosted by Gov. Ivey, sixteen tickets to the Inaugural Gala, a full-page, four-color advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Gold Level Inaugural Sponsor. A $10,000 contribution purchases silver-level sponsorship. That purchases two tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, two tickets to the Prayer Service, four priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, two tickets to the special Donor Reception hosted by the Governor, eight tickets to the Inaugural Gala, a half-page, four-color advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Silver Level Inaugural Sponsor. $5000 is Bronze Level, and those donors receive two tickets to the Prayer Service, two priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, two tickets to the special Donor Reception, four tickets to the Inaugural Gala, a half-page, black-and-white advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Bronze Level Inaugural Sponsor. Commemorative Program Ads cost $5,000 for one full-page, four-color advertisement; $3,500 for a one full-page, black-and-white advertisement; $2,500 for a half-page, four-color advertisement; and $2,000 for a half-page, black-and-white advertisement. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State releases Alabama’s post-election audit pilot program results
On Tuesday, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill announced the completion of the post-election audit pilot program. Sec. Merrill announced in a statement that the results of the audit pilot program confirm the accuracy of Alabama’s elections. Merrill expressed his thanks to all involved in the successful completion of this post-election audit. The Alabama State Legislature authorized a post-election audit in just three polling places in three Alabama counties. Alabama Act 2021-446 authorized a post-election pilot program to be conducted in three counties after the 2022 General Election in which one statewide office and one county office were audited for a single polling place. Dallas County, Houston County, and Marshall County were selected to conduct the audit. The post-election audit was conducted by the Probate Judge, Sheriff, and appointed poll workers in each county. Houston County Probate Judge Patrick Davenport said, “It will only audit one precinct, and (in) that precinct, it will only audit one state race and one county race. It’s a test for the audit process. I think it’s something that the legislature thought was important. What it will actually do…the nuts and bolts of it would be the Circuit Court would issue an order authorizing the Sheriff and I to open those sealed ballot boxes. We’ll set up in this chamber, and I’ll probably have ten teams of two people with a supervisor observing each one of them, and each of those teams will go down the ballot and record the tabulated votes from those ballots on a tally sheet. We’ll compare that to the DS200 (ballot scanner) results we procure on election night.” Many conservatives have expressed concerns about Alabama’s election counting processes after the 2020 election, in which former President Donald Trump alleged that votes in certain swing states may have been fraudulent. One area of concern has been the vote counting machines. The manual audit of the polling places audited showed no significant discrepancy between the paper ballots and the machine counts. Some states have conducted full state audits following the 2020 election, but no state has found sufficient evidence to decertify their presidential vote. Merrill’s tenure as Secretary of State ends in January. Former State Rep. Wes Allen is the Secretary of State-elect. Allen is a former Probate Judge in Pike County who sponsored several bills while in the legislature to improve the security of Alabama elections. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: All politics is no longer local
The legendary Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tip O’Neill, is credited with coining the slogan, “all politics is local.” He quoted it often and lived it. The old Boston machine Democratic politician went home to his Irish neighborhood every week. He knew everyone in his blue-collar district. He knew who was kin to whom. He knew their names, birthdays, parents, grandparents, and children. He did favors, made sure their mail was delivered, lost Social Security checks were found, and even made sure that potholes were fixed and streetlights replaced. He lived the saying, “all politics is local.” He also worked in Washington in an era of bipartisanship. They worked and socialized with each other regardless of party affiliation to get things done. It was well known that Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan were best friends and drinking buddies when Reagan was the Republican President and O’Neill was Speaker. That is why Reagan was so successful as President. He had O’Neill as a friend. It was certainly a different day in Washington than today. Democrats and Republicans now not only do not work together, they do not even talk to each other. They despise and denounce each other more than Reagan and O’Neill hated and denounced the Russians. For years, in my column as well as in college classrooms, lectures, and speeches around the state, I have declared the cornerstone of political theory, “all politics is local,” as a truism. However, as we end this 2022 election year and begin the 2024 presidential election campaign, I am changing my song and dance. My theory now is that all politics is no longer local. All politics today is national. It is all partisan based and derived from national and Washington politics. Folks are either in the Republican tribe or the Democratic tribe, and it applies nationally, and especially in Alabama. Seventy-five years ago, Alabama was a rural state. Alabama voters were much more interested in the sheriff’s race than in presidential races. In fact, Alabamians very seldom even voted in presidential contests. There were more votes cast in an off-year Democratic primary for sheriff and governor than in presidential years. That has changed dramatically. Alabama is a more urban state than rural. Today, Alabamians follow national congressional and presidential politics and could not care less who is the sheriff of their urban county. In the just completed Jefferson County Sheriff’s race, it was a Democrat vs. Republican contest. Personalities were irrelevant. The Democrat, Pettway, won because he was Democrat. Hudson lost because he was a Republican. They could have been named Jones and Smith rather than Pettway and Hudson, and neither campaigned, and the results would have been the same. This 2022 election confirmed and solidified the fact that Alabama is a Ruby Red hardcore Republican state in statewide elections. Twenty-three out of 23 statewide elected offices are held by Republicans. The three candidates, Kay Ivey, Katie Britt, and Wes Allen, who each had a Democrat opponent, got 66% of the vote. The Republicans, who had only Libertarian opposition, like Rick Pate, Young Boozer, and Will Ainsworth, got 84%. Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth got the most votes, about 960,000. He also got the most votes of any contested candidate in 2018. This will hold him in good stead as he eyes the 2026 governor’s race. The Democratic Party is dead and irrelevant on the state level in the Heart of Dixie. Everybody with walking around sense knows this. That is why no serious candidate will run as a Democrat. Some idealistic Democrats will write me and lament that the Alabama Democratic Party leadership is inept. My reply is that it is irrelevant whether you have a Democratic Party office in Alabama or not; the result of Alabama races is going to be the same. All politics is national now. The vote is driven from Washington. The same is true of the Alabama Republican Party. It does not matter who is the Chairman of the Alabama GOP; the GOP vote in Alabama will be the same. In fact, the current GOP Chairman is a butterfly farmer, and his butterflies probably know more about Alabama politics than he does. Folks, Alabama is in the Republican tribe; make no doubt about it. Our largest metropolitan counties of Jefferson and Montgomery are in the Democratic column. As I have said for the past 20 years, if Mickey Mouse is the Republican candidate for President, he will carry Alabama even if he does not campaign or spend any money here, and the same applies to the governor’s race. Why? Because all politics today is national. Happy Thanksgiving. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.
Political consultant Angi Horn promotes made in Alabama products for holiday season
Bama in a Box is an online retailer based in Troy. Bama in a box has launched a holiday shopping campaign to encourage Alabamians to keep their holiday shopping dollars in Alabama while simultaneously supporting small businesses across the state. Bama in a Box was launched by entrepreneur and political consultant Angi Horn during the COVID-19 global pandemic as a way to give consumers exposure to quality-made products while giving Alabama small businesses, many of whom lacked marketing budgets, exposure to new customers. Now, Bama in a Box wants to take that same “Shop Local” mentality that was their focus during the forced economic shutdowns and the pandemic paranoia and promote it in the minds of Christmas shoppers. Horn is a former Governor Robert Bentley adviser and helped with Wes Allen’s campaign. “The majority of almost every household’s gifting budget is spent during the Christmas season,” Horn said. “By choosing to buy your Christmas presents as Alabama-owned businesses instead of spending them with large national and international companies means that Alabama businesses benefit from your holiday purchases instead of companies based out of state or out of the country.” Bama in a Box tries to make the process of holiday shopping in Alabama as easy as possible by curating a large line of specialty gift boxes that are comprised completely of Alabama-made products. These boxes are designed to target the needs of most Christmas shopping lists. Every included item is an Alabama-made item from an Alabama-owned business. “Every specialty gift box that Bama in a Box has for Christmas represents 5-7 Alabama small businesses,” Horn said. “With each gift, you are giving your money to Alabama entrepreneurs across the state, and you are keeping your tax dollars in Alabama to help our schools, our hospitals, and our roads instead of sending them out of state where you see no benefit from them. We are trying to make it easy to shop Alabama by creating a one-stop-shop, but we just want everyone to buy from Alabama-owned businesses. If they buy from us, great. If they buy from a different Alabama-owned company, that is great too! Just buy Alabama!” Horn said that Bama in a Box was born from the frustration caused by the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. As a small business owner, she understood first-hand how hard the pandemic regulations were on small businesses. As a consumer, she realized how difficult it was to find products that were made in America and even harder to find those that were made in Alabama. After some research, Horn found more than 500 high-quality products that most people use regularly are produced right here in Alabama. After a conversation with her associate, Laney Kelley, Horn realized that Alabama small businesses needed a more convenient way to get their products in front of potential customers and that people needed more convenient access to products made in Alabama. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Wes Allen announces state’s withdrawal from ERIC system
Secretary of State-Elect Wes Allen announced on Wednesday that he has mailed a letter to the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to inform the corporation of Alabama’s intent to withdraw from participation in their system. “I made a promise that I would withdraw Alabama from ERIC, and I am keeping that promise,” Allen said in a statement. “I have informed them, via certified letter, that upon my inauguration on January 16, 2023, Alabama will immediately and permanently cease to transmit any information regarding any citizen in the State of Alabama to their organization and that we will no longer participate in any aspect of the ERIC program.” The ERIC system is a nonprofit organization that collects information from 32 member states, including the District of Columbia. ERIC is a database with names, addresses, and partial social security numbers of hundreds of thousands of private citizens. ERIC is used to clean up the voter rolls. “I have heard repeatedly as I traveled through the state for the last year and a half that people want us out of ERIC,” Allen continued. “They don’t want their personal information or the personal information of their children to be sent to this out-of-state group. I promised I would end our participation, and that is what I am taking these steps to do.” Allen mailed identical letters to ERIC Executive Director Shane Hamlin, ERIC Chair Mandi Grandjean, and Systems Data Specialist Sarah Whitt, informing them of his intent to cease cooperation with the group. Allen informed them that he will mail another letter upon his inauguration on January 16, 2023, on official government letterhead. ERIC is costing the state of Alabama just $25,000 a year in membership fees to ERIC. Allen has expressed concerns about the frequent transfers of sensitive data to the ERIC databases. Allen’s withdrawal will put an end to those payments and data transfers. It is unclear what system the state of Alabama will put in place to maintain the integrity of its voter rolls without ERIC. Allen was elected as Secretary of State last week and has already begun the transition to a new administration in the Secretary of State’s office. Current Secretary of State John Merrill was term-limited from running again. Merrill has defended the use of the ERIC system. “It is important to note that currently, ERIC is the only organization capable of providing the necessary data for proper voter list maintenance,” Merrill stated. “In Alabama, ERIC is used to preserve a clean and accurate voter list and to contact eligible residents who are not registered voters. Each month, we provide ERIC with a voters list and driver’s license data, and we receive information from ERIC for voter list maintenance in return. Monthly, our office receives a list of voter records that potentially need to be removed or inactivated based on deceased records from the Social Security Administration, potential duplicate voter records in Alabama, or voters that have potentially moved out of the state.” Allen is a former Pike County judge, and he has served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives representing Pike and Dale Counties. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Wes Allen announces new senior staff for Secretary of State’s office
On Tuesday, the voters of Alabama elected Republican Wes Allen as Alabama’s next Secretary of State. Allen announced on Wednesday the appointments that he will make once he is sworn in as Alabama’s next Secretary of State on January 16, 2023. Clay Helms will serve as Chief of Staff. Helms has served in the Office of the Secretary of State under the last three Secretaries and has served as an Assistant Director of Elections, Director of Elections, and Deputy Chief of Staff. He is a graduate of Auburn University and is a native of Troy. “I am excited to appoint Clay Helms to serve as my Chief of Staff,” Allen said. “He has the experience, dedication, and temperament that I was looking for to help me lead the office and to ensure that we create a culture of hard work, dedication, and respect for the taxpayers who interact with the Office of the Secretary of State.” State Rep. Mike Jones will serve as General Counsel. Jones served with Allen in the Alabama House of Representatives, where he respectively chaired the Judiciary and Rules Committees. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law and has been a practicing attorney for more than two decades. “Mike is an excellent attorney, and he knows the laws of this state as well as anyone,” Allen said. “His knowledge of the law and of the inner operations of government will make him an invaluable asset to me, the staff, and to the people of Alabama.” Jonathan Hester will serve as Director of Government Relations. Hester mostly recently served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Governor Kay Ivey. Hester previously worked closely with the Legislature in his previous role as a Policy Advisor. He is a graduate of Auburn University. “Jonathan understands the legislative process well, and his relationships with the legislators in both chambers make him a great fit for this position,” Allen explained. “He is a hard worker who understands the goals of this office and the importance of the legislative process in our day-to-day operations.” Jeff Elrod will serve as Director of Elections. Elrod has worked both in the Elections office and on the field side of elections and has been involved with elections administration on several levels. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama. “Jeff brings a wealth of experience to the Elections Division, but he also brings a respect for the people who do the job of administering our elections in each of Alabama’s 67 counties,” Allen said. “Building positive relationships with members of Boards of Registrars, Probate Judges, Circuit Clerks, and Sheriffs is essential to a successful Elections Division, and he is invested in ensuring that he builds cooperative relationships with elections officials and personnel across the state.” Laney Kelley will serve as the Director of Scheduling and Executive Administrative Assistant. Kelley will join the Office of the Secretary of State after serving as a consultant and scheduler for Allen’s Secretary of State Campaign. “I am confident that Laney will be an asset to the Office of the Secretary of State. She understands the intricacies of the scheduling process and balancing a multitude of requests simultaneously,” Allen said. “Her intelligence and experience will be very beneficial to the Office of the Secretary of State.” The appointments will take effect after Allen is inaugurated on January 16, 2023. Republican John Merrill is the current Secretary of State, but he is term-limited from running for a third consecutive term. Allen is the son of State Sen. Gerald Allen, who was reelected on Tuesday. Wes Allen grew up in Tuscaloosa and attended the University of Alabama, where he played football while getting his bachelor’s degree. Allen has a master’s degree from Troy University. He was appointed probate judge of Pike County, where he served for ten years. In 2018 was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives, representing Pike and Dale Counties. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Republicans dominate statewide races
As expected, Alabama Republicans won every statewide race. Kay Ivey was easily re-elected, and political newcomer Katie Britt will be the next U.S. Senator from Alabama. Republican incumbents Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate, and Treasurer Young Boozer were easily re-elected. Republican State Representatives Wes Allen and Andrew Sorrell won the open Secretary of State and Auditor races. Republicans also held their supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature and won the open State Supreme Court Justice race. Ivey won by an even larger percentage than in 2018 in 2022. Ivey had 69.9% of the vote as of press time. Yolanda Flowers’ 29.2% performance was the worst performance by a Democratic nominee in memory. Ivey improved her percentage victory by over 10% (69.9% versus 59.5%) of the vote; but actually had fewer votes than four years ago – 944,845 in 2022 versus 1,022,457 in 2018. Ivey’s two landslide victories makes her the most popular Republican governor in state history. Yolanda Flowers only received only 411,269 votes, whereas Walt Maddox received 694,495 votes. Ivey is the first Republican woman to serve as Governor of Alabama. She was already the longest-serving woman governor in state history and the first woman in state history to be re-elected as governor. Ivey won the 2022 election for governor, the 2018 election for governor, the 2014 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2010 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2006 election for State Treasurer, and the 2002 election for State Treasurer. This unprecedented run makes Ivey the most successful woman politician in the history of Alabama. Ivey, age 78, is also the oldest governor in the state’s history. Election night was hugely disappointing for Libertarians. While they did get ballot access for the first time since 2022, none of their candidates were able to get close to the 20% threshold needed to give the party ballot access in 2024 – even in statewide races where no Democrat even qualified. Gaining ballot access cost the Libertarian Party over $240,000 to get the necessary number of ballot access signatures to be on the ballot. If the party is going to be on the ballot in 2024, they will have to go through the ballot signature process. Libertarian candidate for Governor – Dr. Jimmy Blake, only received 45,825 votes (3.2%). It is unclear where Blake’s voters came from, disgruntled Republicans or Democrats who did not support Flowers. It was not a good night for write-in gubernatorial candidates. Dean Odle and Jared Budlong, representing the far right and far left respectively, received just 9,401 votes (0.67%). Since those votes will not be individually counted, so there is no way to know how many of those votes were Odle’s, Budlong’s, or someone else entirely. In the Senate race, Britt received 940,048 votes (66.6%). Democrat Dr. Will Boyd received 435,428 votes (30.87%). Libertarian John Sophocleus received 32,790 votes (2.32%). 2,454 Alabamians wrote in someone else. Britt is the first woman to win a U.S. Senate race in Alabama. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, incumbent Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth won in a landslide. Ainsworth had 955,372 votes (83.69%). Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson had 178,069 votes (15.60%) – far short of the 20% Libertarians needed to guarantee them ballot access in 2024. 8,066 Alabamians (0.71%) wrote in someone else. Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall coasted to re-election, receiving 953,284 votes (67.91%) versus 449,193 votes (32%) for Democrat Wendell Major. Major received more votes than any Democrat running statewide. In the Secretary of State’s race, Republican Wes Allen won 923,206 votes (65.9%). Democrat Pamela Lafitte got 435,558 (31.1%), and Libertarian Matt Shelby received 41,480 votes (3%). In the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries race, incumbent Republican Rick Pate cruised to victory 944,021 (84.3%) over Libertarian Jason Clark 169,869 (15%). In the State Treasurer races, Republican incumbent Young Boozer trounced Libertarian Scott Hammond with 944,792 votes (83.75%) to 174,472 votes (15.47%). For State Auditor, Republican Andrew Sorrell won 947,719 votes (84.4%), while Libertarian Leigh Lachine had 166,243 votes (14.81%). For Alabama Supreme Court Place 5, political newcomer Republican Greg Cook won 941,059 votes (67.42%), while Democrat Anita Kelly received 453,518 votes (32.49%). Incumbent Republican Alabama Supreme Court Place 6 Kelli Wise was unopposed winning re-election 995,688 votes (97.51%). For Public Service Commission Place 1, Republican incumbent Jeremy Oden defeated Libertarian Ron Bishop 934,987 (83.73%) to 172,733 (15.47%). For Public Service Commission Place 2, incumbent Republican Chip Beeker received 929,248 votes (83.18%), while Laura Lane had 179,302 votes. Lane received more votes than any other Libertarian, but her 16.1% was still far below the 20% threshold that the Libertarians needed statewide. The Alabama Republican Party also retained its supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature. Democrats flipped one Alabama House seat in Montgomery County (Charlotte Meadows), while Republicans flipped one Democratic seat in the Wiregrass (Dexter Grimsley). These numbers are all unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State’s office. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Election 2022: A look at who’s running on the Alabama ballot
Alabama voters will decide races ranging from U.S. Senate and governor to local offices in Tuesday’s election Polling places and registration status can be found on the secretary of state’s website, at https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview. Voter turnout is expected to be moderate, according to a projection by Secretary of State John Merrill. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Here’s a quick look at major statewide races and issues: US SENATE Republican Katie Britt faces Democratic nominee Will Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus in the race for the rare open Senate seat in Alabama. Britt is outgoing U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby’s former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama. Britt was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary and has emphasized border security, concern about the national debt and a need for new voices in Congress. Boyd, a pastor, supports Medicaid expansion and efforts to protect the Voting Rights Act. Sophocleus, a former college economics instructor at Auburn University, supports the abolishment of federal gun laws and the creation of a flat tax. GOVERNOR Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is looking to win a second full term in office as she faces Democrat Yolanda Flowers and Libertarian Jimmy Blake. Ivey avoided a runoff in the spring despite facing eight Republican challengers in the primary. Flowers, an educator, is the first Black woman to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in the state. Blake is a physician and a former Birmingham City Council member. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Republican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth faces Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson. There is not a Democratic candidate in the race. The lieutenant governor presides over the Alabama Senate. However, the most notable thing about the position is that the lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor leaves office for any reason. Libertarians believe the race is their strongest hope of hitting the 20% vote threshold needed to maintain ballot access in 2024. SECRETARY OF STATE Alabama will elect a new person to the office that oversees elections. Republican Rep. Wes Allen faces Democrat Pamela Laffitte and Libertarian Matt Shelby. Allen, citing security concerns, opposes alternative means of voting such as curbside voting, mail-in voting, or allowing people to vote absentee for any reason. Laffitte supports expanded methods, such as early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, to make voting more convenient. Shelby supports changing Alabama’s stringent ballot access law that has made it difficult for third-party candidates to run. He also supports alternative systems such as ranked-choice voting. ATTORNEY GENERAL Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall faces Democrat Wendell Major. Marshall is seeking his second full term as Alabama attorney general. His campaign has emphasized his role in lawsuits challenging vaccine mandates and other policies of President Joe Biden’s administration. Major is the police chief of Tarrant. He has emphasized the need to address the state’s opioid crisis and mental health crisis. OTHER RACES — In the state treasurer’s race, Republican incumbent Young Boozer faces Libertarian Scott Hammond. — In the state auditor’s race, Republican Andrew Sorrell faces Libertarian Leigh Lachine. — In the race for commissioner of agriculture and industries, Republican incumbent Rick Pate faces Libertarian Jason Clark — In the races for Public Service Commission, Republican incumbents Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker face challenges from Libertarians Ron Bishop and Laura Lane. — In the race for Alabama Supreme Court, Place 5, Republican Greg Cook faces Democrat Anita Kelly. NEW CONSTITUTION Alabama voters will decide whether to ratify the Alabama Constitution of 2022 that removes racist language, such as references to segregated schools and an interracial marriage ban. It also reorganizes the document, which has been amended nearly 1,000 times, to remove repealed provisions and make it more user-friendly. However, it makes no changes to how government operates. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS There are 10 proposed statewide constitutional amendments. Those include Amendment 1, which would give judges more discretion to deny bail to people accused of violent crimes. Amendment 10 is a companion amendment to the ratification vote that would allow new amendments to be placed within the document. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
John Merrill discusses the Secretary of State’s office in a visit to St. Clair County
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill recently spoke to the St. Clair County Young Republicans gathered in Pell City about his office and issues of election security. “Henry Hitchcock was our first of 53 Secretaries of state in Alabama,” Merrill told the group. Merrill said that while elections and campaign finance review is what the office is best known for, “Business services is over 65% of what we do. When we started (7 and a half years ago), we had 49 employees in that office, and they were six to seven months behind on filings. Today we have 36 team members, and they handle their filings on the day that they are filed. We are not moving at the speed of government anymore. We are moving at the speed of business.” The Secretary of State’s office oversees Alabama elections. “One of the things that I concentrate on is making sure that every citizen who is eligible to vote has the opportunity to vote,” Merrill said. “As of today, we have 3,681,000 registered voters in the state of Alabama. Per capita, no state has done what we have.” “96% of all eligible Black citizens in the state of Alabama are registered to vote. 91% of all eligible White citizens in the state are registered to vote.” In the last year and a half, Merrill said that many people had asked him what the Republicans did wrong in the 2020 election – where Donald Trump narrowly lost the presidency to Joe Biden. “When I was chairman of the Republican Secretaries of State in 2020 and 2021, some of the suggestions I made were listened to, and most were not,” Merrill said. “Karl Rove and Ronna McDaniel asked me to chair a commission,” looking at how elections could be improved. Merrill explained that there are “Five pillars.” 1. Empower the states 2. We believe we have to make sure that only U.S. citizens are added to the voter rolls 3. We believe the gold standard is in-person voting on election day with a voter ID 4. If you have a vote-by-mail component, you have a copy of your photo ID 5. When the vote occurs, that is the end of it. It is election day, not election week, election months, or election season.” “We have removed more than 1.5 million voters from the rolls because they moved away, passed away, or were put away (in prison),” Merrill said. Merrill said that he has a line of communication with Trump and the Trump organization. “I went to Mar-A-Lago a year ago,” Merrill said. “I am going back down to see him in the next couple of weeks.” Merrill said that Alabama’s voting machines are not hackable. “A lot of people know that none of our election equipment, our tabulators, are able to transmit data to the internet,” Merrill explained. “We had them built to a standard so that there are no modem components so that there is no internet connectivity. The only exception is for military servicemen and women. They can go to a secure website, and they can vote electronically. The reason I am not ever concerned about that being hacked is that they have secure military email accounts. We know who they are and where they are. That is an option we get our people. We led the nation in military voting in 2016.” “We provided every county a computer that is brand new – a hardened computer with preloaded data,” Merrill explained. “They can’t upload data.” Merrill said that the numbers that appear on TV on election night come from the Secretary of State’s office but do not include the official total. “That comes the next week,” Merrill explained. Merrill said that there were mistakes made during the primaries in four counties: Etowah, Calhoun, Lauderdale, and Limestone, where voters did not receive the correct ballots for their legislative districts. “There were people impacted,” Merrill admitted. “It happened in four counties. We actually terminated the registrars that were involved in those races.” “We had a race in Limestone County where somebody felt they were cheated,” Merrill said. “They missed being in the primary runoff by 14 votes. We don’t really know what would have happened,” if those voters had gotten the correct ballots. Merrill praised Chairman Paul Manning. “St. Clair county is a very fiscally sound county thanks to the leadership of Chairman Manning,” Merrill said. “While other counties are not so fiscally sound, and some counties can afford things that others can’t. The Secretary of State’s office tries to keep the voting equipment on an equal footing between the counties.” Merrill recalled when he first became Secretary of State. “We passed 16 pieces of legislation in the first year I was there,” Merrill said. “They had not passed six pieces of legislation in the previous ten years. We have passed over 50 pieces of legislation since then.” Merrill said that the Census made a number of mistakes in the 2020 census that are impacting congressional representation and are going to affect the 2024 electoral college vote. “California should have lost two electoral votes,” Merrill said. “Number two is Texas, who was undercounted.” “Alabama has been growing at a 5% clip since about 1970, but we are not growing at the same rate as the rest of the country. Georgia used to be about the same population as Alabama. Today, the Atlanta metropolitan area has more population than our entire state, and that impacted the 2020 election. Trump won 145 of the 159 counties in Georgia but lost the state.” “New York should have lost two more seats, but there is nothing that Congress can do,” Merrill said. There are ten amendments on the Tuesday ballot. Merrill said that the most important amendment is to vote for Amendment One – Aniah’s law. Merrill also urged voters to vote to ratify the recompiled state constitution; because it removes the racist language and reorganizes the state constitution so that similar issues are all near each other, Young Republican of St. Clair County Chairman Logan Glass thanked Merrill for speaking to the group and said he was a personal inspiration. Merrill is term-limited, so he cannot
