Randall Woodfin is seeking a third term as the chief executive of Birmingham government. He just hasn’t made the traditional declaration of his candidacy.

Woodfin has not yet stood at a podium and said that he’s again running for the office. When asked, however, he has said just that.

He nonchalantly told a WBHM reporter last week, “I’m running for a third term,” in response to a question asked at the end of an interview about his book. Woodfin’s memoir, “Son of Birmingham,” has been published and is being released Tuesday.

He’s also sent emails to supporters asking for campaign contributions, AL.com reported.

He began fundraising in August and has since raised more than $450,000 for his campaign, according to financial statements filed with the Secretary of State’s Office. He ended 2024 with $480,752 in his campaign account.

He’s also launched a website for his campaign.

Iva Williams III asked Woodfin in the August 2023 edition of his UrbanNews podcast about his original pledge to serve only two terms as mayor.

“Lately,” Williams said, “I haven’t heard you saying that … So, we are not saying there are only going to be two terms anymore?”

“Nawl,” the mayor said. “N-A-W-L.”

Following that appearance, Woodfin replied to a Birmingham Times inquiry about his candidacy, Woodfin sent a text message that read, “There is much more work to do for neighborhoods and infrastructure. If the people of Birmingham will have me I’m more than willing to continue to serve.”

There are reasons a candidate might delay making an official announcement and opt to keep people guessing.

“I think he might want to delay criticism because he’s been in office eight years now,” said Miles College political science professor Alan Tharpe, although he said he isn’t an expert on Birmingham politics and campaign announcements.  “He wants to stay another four years and that’s likely to generate criticism. If he puts it (an official announcement) off, he bypasses some of that criticism.”

To date, two candidates have said publicly that they’re running against Woodfin. State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, and community activist Kamau Afrika told AL.com he’s running for the office.

Givan recently ran for the congressional seat ultimately won by Shomari Figures. Afrika is making his third bid for Birmingham mayor; he has run for numerous state and local offices, including seats on the Birmingham City Council and the Jefferson County Commission.

Woodfin easily won reelection in 2021, finishing far ahead of his seven challengers with 64% of the vote. Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales was a distant second with 21% and former Birmingham Mayor William Bell came in third with 9%.

Neither Givan nor Afrika have yet filed financial disclosures for the mayor’s office with the secretary of state.