Category: 2017 U.S. Senate Race
Doug Jones Wins. Democrats Land U.S. Senate Seat for First Time in 25 Years.
Doug Jones became the first Democrat to be elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama in 25 years Tuesday night when he beat Republican Roy Moore, initially presumed to be the frontrunner in the race, by a margin of 20,715 votes.
Jones’s campaign party morphed from hopeful to ecstatic in a matter of moments when vote returns suddenly turned in his favor and then the race was called on his behalf shortly before 10 p.m.
“Folks, I gotta tell you. I think that I have been waiting all my life and now I just don’t know what the hell to say,” Jones told jubilant supporters gathered at the Sheraton in Birmingham.
“At the end of the day, this entire race has been about dignity and respect. This campaign, this campaign has been about the rule of law,” he told the crowd.
It also was about winning over voters and getting them to the polls. Jones said in his speech that his campaign volunteers made 1.2 million phone calls and knocked on about 300,000 doors in the days and weeks before the election.
The scene at Moore’s party in Montgomery was much different. There, the night started off upbeat as results showed their candidate with a lead as high as 9 percentage points. But as later returns came in from heavily Democratic areas such as Jefferson County, supporters nervously watched their smartphones, seeing Moore’s lead slowly drift away.
And when the room’s video screen showed Jones taking over the lead, the music changed from jazz saxophone to old church hymns.
Moore made an appearance at about 10:40 p.m., refusing to concede the race with the margin for Jones so slim. He finished his brief remarks by telling supporters, “Let’s all go home and sleep on this.”
With 100 percent of the votes counted, according to Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, Jones won the race 49.92 percent to Moore’s 48.38 percent. The rest were write-in votes. Read more.
The Doug Jones, Roy Moore Race: By the Numbers
The unofficial results of the Special Senate Election posted on the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office tell the dramatic, surprising story by the numbers:
Doug Jones, 671,151 votes, 49.92 percent; Roy S. Moore, 650,436 votes, 48.38 percent.
Total Ballots Cast, 1,346,147. Voter turnout, 40.46 percent, far more than the 25 percent that Secretary of State John Merrill forecast for the one-race, special election at Christmastime.
Within those numbers are results that fashioned a formula for the Democratic candidate to come out ahead in a Deep Red state that voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump. Read more.
Doug Jones Has Won the Race for the U.S. Senate
Democrat Doug Jones has won the Senate race against Republican Roy Moore, capping a campaign season that has been controversial from start to finish.
The Alabama Secretary of State’s Office reports that Jones won 48.95 percent of the vote, or 553, 931 votes, to Moore’s 49.49 percent, or 560,083 votes. There were 17,632 write in votes cast.
Just 6,152 votes cast by Alabama’s 3.3 million voters separated the candidates. Turnout for the day was 34.05 percent.
The atmosphere at the Doug Jones results party at the Sheraton was largely positive, with crowds gathering around the television behind the bar. It shifted from lukewarm to boiling in an instant. As soon as the first results came back that put Jones within a percentage point of Moore, the mood in the Sheraton entire place changed. People cheered. People in the crowd repeated said “I really cannot believe it!” Several people were crying at the bar.
At the Moore party in Montgomery, the atmosphere turned from lively to funereal as the big county results flipped the lead.
Moore spoke to the group gathered at his campaign party, but he did not concede the race.
Moore said that with such a tight race, any of a number of factors could flip the result, including any ballots cast by Alabama residents serving abroad in the military that have not yet been received. Also not counted are provisional votes.
Moore sent his supporters on their way with the words: “Let’s go home and sleep on it.”
However, Secretary of State John Merrill said that all of the absentee votes had been counted, and he did not think military votes would be enough to tip the scale. according to WBRC. He said 100 percent of the precincts had been counted.
In a press conference about 11 p.m., Merrill said that the race was close, but not close enough to trip the state’s automatic recount law. He said the candidates would have had to be separated by no more than .5 percent of the vote to have an automatic recount. He said Moore could request a recount at his own expense.
But that couldn’t be done until the vote had been certified. Which Merrill said would happen sometime between Dec. 26 and Jan. 3.
Read more.
Heavy Traffic at Alabama’s Polls for Jones-Moore Race Today
Voters across the state are showing up at the polls today to choose between Democrat Doug Jones, a former U.S. attorney, and Republican Roy Moore, a former Alabama chief justice.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has predicted turnout could be 25 percent, which would be higher than either the primaries or the Republican runoff.
But several probate judges have said today that they are expecting higher turnout in their counties.
Barry Stephenson, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Registrars, said about 1 p.m. that voting today is “progressing pretty well.”
He said it’s running like a normal election day so far, and he thinks Jefferson County will top that number, based on the number of calls his office has been getting.
He’s heard a couple of polling places are somewhat cold, but those are the only complaints that have come in to his office.
Shelby County Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister told the Associated Press that turnout appears higher than normal among young people and black voters in the affluent, normally Republican county.
Fuhrmeister said he isn’t predicting a Democratic win. But the Jones camp has upped its grass-roots campaign in the county, and Furhmeister said he expects the party to see some results for its efforts.
Several probate judges have said they have received up to four times as many applications for absentee ballots as they usually process.
The U.S. Senate special election has drawn national attention for months, enough so that the Department of Homeland Security is keepings watch in the state today, according to AP.
A federal protective security adviser and a cybersecurity adviser are in Montgomery and working “side by side” with state government officials in case issues arise, a DHS official told AP.
The officials said it’s part of a larger effort to share threat information and technical support after DHS concluded Russian government hackers targeted election systems in 21 states last year.
Even before several women accused Moore of having sexual contact with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s, the race was in the spotlight because it could determine a key vote in the Senate as Trump tries to get some of his major platform planks passed.
After the allegations, that attention exploded. The race has at one time or another been described as a referendum on President Trump and/or the Democratic Party, on American values or Alabama values, and on Alabama itself.
Some Republicans had grown hesitant about Moore after the sexual abuse allegations. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, publicly announced that he had voted by absentee ballot – and not for Moore. Shelby said he had written in the name of a distinguished Republican.
But later, Trump endorsed Moore and Republicans began to trickle back to his side.
Nonetheless, the controversy left the race mostly a statistical tie. Polls have seesawed between showing Moore up by a few points and then the next day showing Jones edging him out.
If it’s a close race with a large write-in component, it could delay results by a week or more, when the write-ins, along with votes cast by Alabama residents serving overseas, will be counted.
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. across the state.
For complete coverage of the election, including candidate profiles, information about campaign donations, and rules for the polls and tools for the voter, Read the BirminghamWatch Voter Guide.
Candidate Profiles
What You Need to Know at the Polls
Campaign Money
Report a Problem at the Polls
Jones Brings out Randall Woodfin, Charles Barkley, for Election-Eve Rally
So, Where’s Roy Moore Been in the Campaign’s Closing Days?
Voices From the Polls: Excitement and Angst Among Voters Today
Shades Mountain Independent Church
Voters were turning out heavily at Shades Mountain Independent Church in Hoover to vote in the special Senate election this afternoon The chief inspector said the polling place was trending toward 50 percent turnout.
By 3:15, the precinct had drawn 1,620 voters.
“I don’t care why they’re coming out,” Michael Lawson said. “I’m just glad they are.”
Mountain Brook City Hall
A steady stream of voters filed through Mountain Brook City Hall Tuesday as polls opened for the special Senate election.
Most who spoke after voting described a greater excitement and a bit of angst as they prepared the cast their vote for Republican Roy Moore or Democrat Doug Jones.
Brian Sullivan noted that the new tablets were in use to identify voters.
“It’s an important election, I’ll tell you that,” he said. “It’s important for people to get out and vote Republican.” Read more.
Voters Turn Out Early in Huffman
Chief inspector Bill Peoples said turnout was heavy early at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Huffman. There were 50 to 60 people waiting in line at 6:30 a.m. or earlier.
“We even let them stand inside,” he said. “We don’t usually do that but it was cold.”
The flow of voters had slackened by 10 a.m. but Peoples said there are projections of a record turnout if voters continue to show up as they have.
Gregory Young, an African-American man, made an observation as he returned to the parking lot: “A lot of folks passing out stuff aren’t out here today,” he said. “People who are usually out here passing out stuff (suggesting) who to vote for, they’re not out here. It’s very strange.”
Read more.
Voting Steady at Legion Field
Voters streamed in and out of Legion Field in Birmingham during lunchtime. Voting at the precinct, which has about 4,317 registered voters, has been steady, according to Doug Jones campaign worker Edwina Robinson.
Robinson, 62, has been at the polling site since 8 a.m. handing out sample ballots. She said she hasn’t seen long lines or a drop off in voters, only a steady stream of people casting ballots.“I think it will be a good turnout,” she said.
Robinson, who lives in West End, cast her ballot for Jones at West End Library shortly after 7 a.m.
“I want him to win,” she said. “He has done more for black people (than Moore) and he was behind us when he fought for the four little girls (who died in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing), and he cares about us. I think he makes a good candidate, but God has the last say.”
Read more.
Voting Steady at Legion Field
Voters streamed in and out of Legion Field in Birmingham during lunchtime. Voting at the precinct, which has about 4,317 registered voters, has been steady, according to Doug Jones campaign worker Edwina Robinson.
Robinson, 62, has been at the polling site since 8 a.m. handing out sample ballots. She said she hasn’t seen long lines or a drop off in voters, only a steady stream of people casting ballots.
“I think it will be a good turnout,” she said. Read more.
UPDATED: Excitement and Angst: Voters Cast Ballots at a Steady Clip This Morning
A steady stream of voters filed through Mountain Brook City Hall Tuesday as polls opened for the special Senate election.
Most who spoke after voting described a greater excitement and a bit of angst as they prepared to cast their vote for Republican Roy Moore or Democrat Doug Jones.
Barry Stephenson, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Registrars, said about 1 p.m. that voting today is “progressing pretty well.”
He said it’s running like a normal election day so far. Secretary of State John Merrill has predicted a 25 percent voter turnout for today. But Stephenson thinks Jefferson County will top that, based on the number of calls his office has been getting.
He’s heard a couple of polling places are somewhat cold, but those are the only complaints that have come in to his office.
In Mountain Brook, Brian Sullivan noted that the new tablets were in use to identify voters.
“It’s an important election, I’ll tell you that,” he said. “It’s important for people to get out and vote Republican.”
Mountain Brook High School senior Jackson Sharman was voting for just the second time, but he noticed the difference from his previous trip to the precinct.
“People seemed a little more excited, or interested,” he said as he hurried off to math class after voting for Jones.
Cumbee Tyndal noticed a higher level of anxiety.
“I think people are concerned about this race, because of the national coverage and because of the nature of the race,” she said, acknowledging that she voted for Jones. She said she normally votes Democratic. Read more.
Voters Turn Out Early in Huffman
By Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
Chief inspector Bill Peoples said turnout was heavy early at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Huffman. There were 50 to 60 people waiting in line at 6:30 a.m. or earlier.
“We even let them stand inside,” he said. “We don’t usually do that but it was cold.”
The flow of voters had slackened by 10 a.m. but Peoples said there are projections of a record turnout if voters continue to show up as they have.
Gregory Young, an African-American man, made an observation as he returned to the parking lot: “A lot of folks passing out stuff aren’t out here today,” he said. “People who are usually out here passing out stuff (suggesting) who to vote for, they’re not out here. It’s very strange.”
There was a lone volunteer from the Alabama Democratic Conference who was doling out yellow sample ballots marked for Doug Jones. Young said he voted for Jones.
“It’s not about what’s in the news,” he said. “I just felt he’d probably be a better candidate. Sometimes I vote Republican and sometimes I vote Democrat.” Read more.
Voting Steady at Legion Field
Voters streamed in and out of Legion Field in Birmingham during lunchtime. Voting at the precinct, which has about 4,317 registered voters, has been steady, according to Doug Jones campaign worker Edwina Robinson.
Robinson, 62, has been at the polling site since 8 a.m. handing out sample ballots. She said she hasn’t seen long lines or a drop off in voters, only a steady stream of people casting ballots.
“I think it will be a good turnout,” she said. Read more.
U.S. Senate Special Election, What You Need to Know
Jones Brings out Randall Woodfin, Charles Barkley, for Election-Eve Rally
Dec. 11, 2017 — Doug Jones brought out a collection of famous faces for his final rally in the Alabama Senate race.
The event, held at Old Car Heaven in Birmingham, featured appearances from Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba, former NBA star Charles Barkley and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin in a final push to energize supporters before Tuesday’s election.
Read more.
So, Where’s Roy Moore Been in the Campaign’s Closing Days?
In a campaign that has defied convention over and over, Roy Moore did something that perplexed political professionals, media and voters alike.
He had mostly disappeared from public view before he emerged on election eve in a barn-like building near Dothan, slightly more than 10 hours before the first voting precincts open.
The race to fill the seat left vacant when Jeff Sessions resigned to become U.S. attorney general had become a national obsession for cable news channels, talk radio and newspaper pundits.
But Moore had not had a public campaign appearance since Wednesday, Dec. 6. Hs campaign ignored or rebuffed repeated attempts (including several from BirminghamWatch) to announce his schedule or account for his whereabouts. His apparent attendance at Saturday’s traditional Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia has not been acknowledged by his campaign.
Finally, at 8:50 p.m., six miles from Dothan in a building usually used for weddings, Roy Moore appeared in public Monday night. The rally featured several conservative stalwarts, including Steve Bannon, head of Breitbart.com and a former strategic adviser to President Donald Trump; Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas; and David Clarke, the former sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
Read more.
U.S. Senate Special Election
Heavy Traffic at Alabama’s Polls for Jones-Moore Race Today
Voters across the state are showing up at the polls today to choose between Democrat Doug Jones, a former U.S. attorney, and Republican Roy Moore, a former Alabama chief justice.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has predicted turnout could be 25 percent, which would be higher than either the primaries or the Republican runoff.
But several probate judges have said today that they are expecting higher turnout in their counties.
Barry Stephenson, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Registrars, said about 1 p.m. that voting today is “progressing pretty well.”
He said it’s running like a normal election day so far, and he thinks Jefferson County will top that number, based on the number of calls his office has been getting.
He’s heard a couple of polling places are somewhat cold, but those are the only complaints that have come in to his office.
Shelby County Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister told the Associated Press that turnout appears higher than normal among young people and black voters in the affluent, normally Republican county.
Fuhrmeister said he isn’t predicting a Democratic win. But the Jones camp has upped its grass-roots campaign in the county, and Furhmeister said he expects the party to see some results for its efforts.
Several probate judges have said they have received up to four times as many applications for absentee ballots as they usually process.
The U.S. Senate special election has drawn national attention for months, enough so that the Department of Homeland Security is keepings watch in the state today, according to AP.
A federal protective security adviser and a cybersecurity adviser are in Montgomery and working “side by side” with state government officials in case issues arise, a DHS official told AP.
The officials said it’s part of a larger effort to share threat information and technical support after DHS concluded Russian government hackers targeted election systems in 21 states last year.
Even before several women accused Moore of having sexual contact with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s, the race was in the spotlight because it could determine a key vote in the Senate as Trump tries to get some of his major platform planks passed.
After the allegations, that attention exploded. The race has at one time or another been described as a referendum on President Trump and/or the Democratic Party, on American values or Alabama values, and on Alabama itself.
Some Republicans had grown hesitant about Moore after the sexual abuse allegations. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, publicly announced that he had voted by absentee ballot – and not for Moore. Shelby said he had written in the name of a distinguished Republican.
But later, Trump endorsed Moore and Republicans began to trickle back to his side.
Nonetheless, the controversy left the race mostly a statistical tie. Polls have seesawed between showing Moore up by a few points and then the next day showing Jones edging him out.
If it’s a close race with a large write-in component, it could delay results by a week or more, when the write-ins, along with votes cast by Alabama residents serving overseas, will be counted.
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. across the state.
For complete coverage of the election, including candidate profiles, information about campaign donations, and rules for the polls and tools for the voter, Read the BirminghamWatch Voter Guide.
Candidate Profiles
What You Need to Know at the Polls
Campaign Money
Report a Problem at the Polls
Jones Brings out Randall Woodfin, Charles Barkley, for Election-Eve Rally
So, Where’s Roy Moore Been in the Campaign’s Closing Days?
