Circuit Court Judge, 10th Judicial Circuit, Place 10 Patrick James Ballard Democrat Age: 66 Residence: Birmingham Political Experience: Candidate for Circuit Court judge, 2012; Circuit Court judge since January 2015. Professional Experience: Solo practitioner, Ballard Law Firm. from May 1, 2000 to January 2015; previously 15 years in construction industry. Education: Texas A&M University, B.S., 1976;
The Birmingham City Council has approved an incentives package to bring a new grocery store to the city’s Roebuck neighborhood as part of a larger initiative to reduce food deserts in Birmingham. The agreement will include an initial payment of $200,000, then up to an additional $1.6 million, based on the store’s performance, spread out over seven years. The store, tentatively named The Price Butcher, will be at 1125 Huffman Road, the former location of a Sav-A-Lot, and will “double the amount of fresh produce in the area (and) double the sales area for meat,” Josh Carpenter, the city’s director of innovation and economic opportunity, told the council during a Monday night committee meeting. “It’s going to expand the food options for the citizens of District 1.” Read more.
Birmingham has declared this year’s Election Day, Nov. 3, as a one-time unpaid holiday for city employees. The decision, ostensibly made so that employees will have the opportunity to vote, also will save money for the cash-strapped city, which has had to furlough employees and make budget cuts due to COVID-19’s impact on revenue. Read more.
There has been confusion and concern among some voters in Jefferson County over whether their absentee ballots would be counted in the November election. Earlier this month, an unknown number of county residents cast their absentee ballots using a waiver that Jefferson County sent them saying they did not have to have witnesses or a notary sign their absentee ballots. The waivers were sent out after U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon ruled that those requirements could be waived this year for voters who were 65 and older with an underlying medical condition, an action taken to avoid putting them at greater risk during the pandemic. But two weeks later, on Oct. 13, a higher court overruled Kallon and reinstated the witness requirement. County officials said in a statement Monday that ballots postmarked on or before Oct. 13 will be counted. But residents who returned ballots with the waiver postmarked after that date were instructed to call the county’s absentee election manager, who is working on a plan to correct deficiencies in the votes. Read more.
U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, the first Democrat Alabama has elected to the Senate in 25 years, is running an aggressive campaign to keep the seat and show he’s no one-hit wonder. He’s facing off against Tommy Tuberville, former Auburn University head football coach who is trying to reclaim the seat for the Republicans, in the Nov. 3 general election.
Jones Runs Aggressive Campaign to Maintain Senate Seat for the Democrats
Was Doug Jones’ victory a fluke?
That’s been the prevailing question since November 2017’s special election, when Jones narrowly edged out Roy Moore for the Alabama Senate seat vacated by then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Jones, an attorney from Birmingham, became the deep-red state’s first Democratic senator in a quarter-century, though many attributed the upset to the allegations of sexual misconduct that plagued his far-right opponent. Read more.
With a Commanding Lead in Polls, Tuberville Shuns Media and Jones While Embracing Trump
Tommy Tuberville has never run for political office in his life. But now he’s running for the United States Senate like he’s an incumbent.
He’s keeping his head down and avoiding mistakes.
If pre-election polling is correct, the game plan is working. Read more.
BirminghamWatch’s 2020 Voter Guide
Was Doug Jones’ victory a fluke? That’s been the prevailing question since November 2017’s special election, when Jones narrowly edged out Roy Moore for the Alabama Senate seat vacated by then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Jones, an attorney from Birmingham, became the deep-red state’s first Democratic senator in a quarter-century, though many attributed the upset to the allegations of sexual misconduct that plagued his far-right opponent. Read more.
Tommy Tuberville has never run for political office in his life. But now he’s running for the United States Senate like he’s an incumbent. He’s keeping his head down and avoiding mistakes. If pre-election polling is correct, the game plan is working. Read more.
U.S. House of Representatives, AL District 6 Gary Palmer Party: Republican Age: 66 Residence: Hoover Political experience: Member, U.S. House of Representatives, Alabama District 6, 2015-present; member, Gov. Robert Bentley’s Task Force to Strengthen Alabama Families; member, Alabama Commission on Improving State Government; advisor, Gov. Fob James’ Aerospace, Science, and Technology Task Force; member, Welfare
U.S. House of Representatives, Alabama District 7 Terri Sewell Party: Democrat Age: 55 Residence: Birmingham Political experience: Member, U.S. House of Representatives, Alabama District 7, 2011-present. Professional experience: Shareholder, Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C., 2005-present; Associate, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 1994-2005; law clerk, Judge U.W. Clemon, Northern District of Alabama, 1993-1994. Civic experience: Board
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate split along party lines last week on a $500 billion Republican-backed coronavirus-relief bill, and Alabama’s senators were no exception. Sixty votes were needed to pass the bill, but the vote was 51 for and 44 against. Democrats complained there wasn’t enough money in the bill, including its lack of $1,200 in direct payments to individuals. Sen. Richard Shelby, R, voted for it. Sen. Doug Jones, D, voted against it. Read more.
