The qualifying period is over for this spring's primary elections, where candidates on Republican and Democratic tickets will vie for enough votes to be named their party's nominee for local, state …
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The qualifying period is over for this spring's primary elections, where candidates on Republican and Democratic tickets will vie for enough votes to be named their party's nominee for local, state and federal offices up for election in November.
Democrats only have candidates seeking office at the state and federal level, though Gulf Coast Media is still waiting to confirm the list on the Baldwin County Democrats website. Republicans have competition against each other at every level and most seats impacting Baldwin County, with every county commission seat garnering at least two candidates. Two of those seats will get a new face come November, as two of the four current commissioners is not seeking reelection. One of three school board seats on the ballot is a contested race, as is the race for sheriff.
Revenue commissioner and coroner positions are also up for election this year. Both incumbents are the only ones who filed to run.
At the state level, there are a lot of familiar names seeking a new job title. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is running for governor, and U.S. Rep. Barry Moore and Attorney General Steve Marshall are on a crowded ballot of candidates seeking to fill his now open Senate seat.
On another crowded ballot, former U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl is running to regain the First Congressional District seat. Moore beat Carl for the seat in 2024 after district lines were redrawn in response to a Supreme Court ruling that said the previous map violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voting power. A court-ordered map, establishing a second majority-Black/near-majority district, resulted in the election of two Black representatives for the first time. Carl served a term from 2021-2025.
Two other elected officials are seeking the office of lieutenant governor in Secretary of State Wes Allen and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industry Rick Pate.
On the Democratic ballot, contested races are set for governor and both federal offices of U.S. Senate and the House's First Congressional District. Candidates who win their primary will face the winner of the Republican primary Nov 3.
Republican nominees for secretary of state, agriculture commissioner, Seat 8 on the state supreme court and District 22 in the state Senate will face Democrats who are running unopposed in their primary.
All other Republican primary nominees will run unopposed in November, alongside state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, who is not facing a candidate on either side.
Registered voters in Alabama do not have to declare a party and can choose either party's ballot during a primary. If a runoff is necessary — when no one receives a majority of votes, a scenario possible when there are three or more candidates — voters can participate in the same party's runoff as they did in the regular primary. Those who did not vote in the regular primary can choose either party's runoff in which they vote.
For more on the candidates on the ballot for the primary election, both of which will be held May 19, follow Gulf Coast Media here and at www.gulfcoastmedia.com/election.
For more on state and local judges up for election, follow print editions here and online at www.gulfcoastmedia.com/election.
