Up to 2,600 absentee ballots could be thrown out because of dueling court rulings over witness signatures on ballots. Jefferson County Probate Judge James Naftel on Wednesday said officials are working to see that every vote counts. Read more.
Jefferson County District Court, Place 2 Maria Fortune Democrat Hometown: Vestavia Hills Political experience: Appointed to the Jefferson County District Court bench after Judge Shanta Owens left for the Circuit Court bench; currently presides over Drug Court in the Criminal Division. Professional experience: Started her career as a deputy public defender in Colorado before joining the Denver
Jefferson County Treasurer Eyrika Parker Democrat Age: 46 Hometown: Birmingham Political experience: Ran for Jefferson County circuit clerk in 2018 but lost in the primary runoff. Professional experience: Has worked in a variety of fields, from law to media. Shortly after earning her law degree, Parker started working in the circuit clerk’s office in 2005 as
State Board of Education, District 7 Belinda Palmer McRae Party: Republican Hometown: Hamilton Political experience: Vice chair of the Alabama State GOP Executive Committee and vice chair of the Marion County Republican Party. Professional experience: Worked as a K-12 educator for 25 years and as an adjunct instructor at Bevill State Community College for more than 10
ALABAMA 10th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, PLACE 2 Shanta’ Owens Democrat Age: 41 Residence: Birmingham. Political Experience: Appointed to Circuit Court in 2019 by Gov. Key Ivey; elected district judge in 2008 and 2014. Education: Alabama State University, B.S.; Louisiana State University School of Law, J.D.; also attended Université D’Aix-Marseille III in Aix-en-Provence, France, earning a Bachelor
Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, Place 1 William C. “Bill” Thompson Republican Age: 58 Residence: Vestavia Hills Political Experience: Elected to the Court of Civil Appeals, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014. Presiding judge since 2007. Professional Experience: Practiced law in Birmingham and Montgomery, assistant legal adviser to the late Gov. Guy Hunt. Member of Judicial Inquiry
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.
