Virginia Martin

A Bad Night for Incumbents: Challengers Take the Lead in Council Runoffs

A Crestwood North Neighborhood resident experienced a realization as he greeted Darrell O’Quinn Tuesday night in the parking lot of the Shoppes at Crestwood: “We’re going to have to get a new neighborhood president.” O’Quinn’s term as neighborhood president comes to an end as he prepares to move into his new role as District 5 representative on the Birmingham City Council. In unofficial results, he edged out incumbent council President Johnathan Austin 2,430 votes to 2,271. The night belonged to those who had never held the offices they were seeking. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Randall Woodfin Defeats Incumbent William Bell to Become Birmingham’s Next Mayor

A night of upsets in Birmingham city government culminated in the victory of challenger Randall Woodfin over incumbent William Bell. Woodfin topped Bell in the race by more than 7,500 votes, getting 58.94 percent of the vote compared to Bell’s 41.06 percent, according to the unofficial vote tally. It was the end of an often contentious campaign in which Woodfin challenged the status quo. “We deserve better” was his campaign slogan. Bell campaigned on his experience and accomplishments. But ultimately, a public dissatisfaction with Bell’s seven-year administration won out. “Birmingham, this is our moment,” Woodfin said to a raucous crowd of supporters gathered at his campaign party. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Woodfin Beats Incumbent Bell in Birmingham Mayor’s Race, Other Results

It appears Birmingham voters have replaced their mayor and the president of the City Council. Randall Woodfin has beaten incumbent William Bell in the race for the mayor’s post. In unofficial vote returns Woodfin has taken almost 59 percent of the vote to Bell’s 41 percent. It also appears that Council President Johnathan Austin has been beaten in his bid for re-election. In the District 5 race, Darrell O’Quinn had 52 percent of the vote to Austin’s 48 percent, though only about 200 votes separated the men in the district race. Find the full list of results here.

by Virginia Martin

Woodfin Appears to Have Beaten Bell in Birmingham Mayor’s Race

Randall Woodfin appears to have beaten incumbent William Bell in the race to be Birmingham’s next mayor. Woodfin had 59 percent of the vote to Bell’s 41 percent with 96 percent of the vote counted. “Birmingham, this is our moment,” Woodfin said to supporters at his campaign party. Bell had not conceded, but he appeared to his supporters and said “the numbers do not look good.” Bell said he is grateful to the people of Birmingham for the many opportunities they have given him.

by Virginia Martin

US Supreme Court Takes a Pass, Won’t Hear Challenge of JeffCo Bond Refinancing

Oct. 3, 2017 – Jefferson County Commissioners reported this morning that the U.S. Supreme Court had opted not to hear the latest challenge to the county’s refinancing of bonds backed by the 1-cent sales tax. “The Supreme Court denied even hearing it,” Commissioner Joe Knight said during committee meeting. “It’s over. It’s done. The Supreme Court said, ‘We don’t even think it worth hearing.’” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

U.S. Supreme Court to Decide Whether “Extreme” Partisan Gerrymandering Can, or Should, be Curbed

With protestors rallying outside and a packed house inside, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments over the legality of “extreme” partisan gerrymandering of legislative districts. The court has taken up a suit, Gill v. Whitford, that alleges partisan gerrymandering in the redrawing of legislative districts in Wisconsin. The court is mulling whether enforceable standards can be set limiting political influence over the drawing of districts. Conservatives on the court are unsure that can be done, while liberals argued that not doing it undercuts the theory of democracy. Much of Tuesday’s arguments were aimed at Justice Anthony Kennedy, widely considered the swing vote in the case. The Supreme Court’s decision could have ramifications for legislative districts in Alabama and 20 other states. In Alabama, legislators drew new House and Senate districts after the 2010 Census, but a court ordered them to redraw 12 districts deemed to be the result of racial gerrymandering. The issue is whether the redistricting packed too many minority voters in too few districts. Opponents of the plan argue that if fewer black voters – just enough to influence the election – were assigned to more districts, they would have a strong voice in the selection of more legislators. The Legislature adopted new districting maps this spring that redraw 25 of the 35 Senate districts and 70 of the 105 House districts. Unsatisfied, the Legislative Black Caucus has challenged the plans. The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decision in the spring. BirminghamWatch Coverage Race and the Alabama Legislature, Volatile Mix in Redrawing Political Map A Fix for Racial Gerrymandering? Legislators to Debate Whether New Plan Cures Voting District Problems Legislature OKs Redistricting Plan on Last Day of the Session National Coverage of U.S. Supreme Court Case Kennedy’s Vote Is in Play on Voting Maps Warped by Politics (New York Times) Kennedy is Key to Supreme Court Outcome on Partisan Maps (Associated Press) What is Gerrymandering? A guide to Understanding the Case Before the Supreme Court (Quartz) With Wisconsin case, Supreme Court Takes up Partisan Gerrymandering (Christian Science Monitor) Supreme Court Appears Divided Over Gerrymandering (Wall Street Journal) Transcript of the Arguments (Wall Street Journal) Partisan Gerrymandering: How Much Is Too Much? (NPR)

by Virginia Martin

Birmingham Runoff Ballot and Candidate Profiles

MAYOR William Bell Randall Woodfin   BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL District 2 Kim Rafferty Hunter Williams   District 5 Johnathan Austin Darrell O’Quinn   District 9 John Hilliard Roderick Royal   BIRMINGHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION District 1 Douglas Lee Ragland Cedric Small   District 4 Daagye Hendricks Edward Maddox   District 5 David T. McKinney Michael

by Virginia Martin

Find Your Polling Place

Find your polling place

by Virginia Martin

The Birmingham Runoff Ballot and Candidate Profiles

MAYOR William Bell Randall Woodfin   BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL District 2 Kim Rafferty Hunter Williams   District 5 Johnathan Austin Derrell O’Quinn   District 9 John Hilliard Roderick Royal   BIRMINGHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION District 1 Douglas Lee Ragland Cedric Small   District 4 Daagye Hendricks Edward Maddox   District 5 David T. McKinney Michael

by Virginia Martin

Three Birmingham City Council Seats Are up for Grabs

Voters go to the polls Tuesday to make final decisions on who will fill three Birmingham City Council seats. No candidates in Districts 2, 5 and 9 received more than half the votes cast in the Aug. 22 elections, and voters Tuesday will choose between the top two vote-getters in the race. Read more.

by Virginia Martin