Government

Ivey leads Republican sweep of statewide races

Gov. Kay Ivey turned back Democratic challenger Walt Maddox on Tuesday and led the Republican ticket to a clean sweep of statewide races in Alabama.  “The people of Alabama have spoken loud and clear: We want to keep Alabama on the right track and keep Alabama working,” Ivey declared before cheering supporters Tuesday night at a Montgomery hotel.  “It is with immense gratitude that I stand before you tonight as the next governor of Alabama. … Tonight, today, together we have made history — the first Republican woman to be elected governor.” Read more.

by Robert Carter and Sam Prickett

Birmingham Council Members Push Back Against Road in Watershed That Protects Drinking Water

The Birmingham City Council appears set to oppose construction of the controversial Cahaba Beach road and bridge project across the Little Cahaba River. The Little Cahaba flows from the Lake Purdy reservoir a quarter-mile upstream from the project to the larger Cahaba River, where the Birmingham Water Works Board takes water for treatment. A majority of council members, meeting as a committee-of-the-whole on Monday, voted to recommend against connecting Cahaba Beach Road off U.S. 280 to Sicard Hollow Road in Shelby County and to the Liberty Park development in Vestavia. The vote included a total of seven council members, President Valerie Abbott among them. A full council vote is set for Nov. 20. Representatives of environmental groups at the meeting said the road is an “unnecessary convenience road for a few” that “should not outweigh the risks to the quality and cost of a main drinking water source for 600,000 people.” The Alabama Department of Transportation and Shelby County engineers are pushing to extend Cahaba Beach Road across a new bridge to Sicard Hollow Road in Shelby County. Representatives of those entities did not attend Monday’s meeting. Read more.

by Hank Black

Don Wallace

Alabama Board of Education, District 4 Don Wallace Party: Republican Age: 52 Residence: Northport Political experience: Elected Tuscaloosa county commissioner, 2004-2012. Professional experience: Owner, Don Wallace CPA PC, 1999-present; adjunct instructor, Shelton State Community College, 2014-2016. Education: Coursework for master of business administration in sports management, Shorter University, 2014-2016; bachelor of science in business, University of Alabama. Civic experience: Member and speaker,

by Virginia Martin

Yvette Richardson

Alabama Board of Education, District 4 Yvette Richardson Party: Democrat Residence: Fairfield. Political experience: Elected to Alabama State Board of Education, 2010; re-elected, 2014. Served as 2015 State Board of Education President Pro-Tem (temporary) Served as 2016 Vice President of Alabama State Board of Education Professional experience: Currently educational consultant, public education teacher, assistant school principal, school principal, director

by Virginia Martin

David Faulkner

Alabama House of Representatives, District 46 David Faulkner Party: Republican Age: 50 Residence: Birmingham Political experience: Member, Alabama House of Representatives, District 46, 2014-present Professional experience: Partner, Christian & Small LLP, 1999-present; General Counsel, Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, 2004-2014; Associate Attorney, Spain & Gillon, LLC, 1994-1998. Civic experience: Vice president, governmental relations, Mountain Brook

by Sam Prickett

Greg Reed

Alabama State Senate, District 5 Greg Reed Party: Republican Age: 53 Residence: Jasper Political experience: Alabama State Senate, 2010-present. Professional experience: Vice president, Preferred Medical Systems (present); medical sales, GE Healthcare; sales, National Cash Register. Civic experience: Paul Harris Fellow Rotarian, Jasper Rotary Club; Sunday School teacher, First Baptist Church, Jasper. Education: Bachelor’s degree, University

by Robert Carter

Priscilla Dunn

Alabama State Senate, District 19 Priscilla Dunn Party: Democrat Age: 75 Residence: Bessemer Political experience: Alabama State Senate, 2009-present; Alabama State House of Representatives, 1998-2009. Professional experience: Homeless Education Coordinator, Bessemer City Schools. Civic experience: Advisory Board, Jefferson/Shelby Counties American Cancer Society; Board of directors, Bessemer Civic Center; president, Concerned Citizens of Bessemer Cut-Off; Board

by Robert Carter

Rodger M. Smitherman

Alabama State Senate, District 18 Rodger M. Smitherman Party: Democrat Age: 65 Residence: Birmingham Political experience: Alabama State Senate, 1994-present; Senate president pro tempore, 2009-2010; past president of Alabama Legislative Black Caucus. Professional experience: Attorney, Smitherman and Smitherman, 1989-present. Civic experience: Board of trustees, University of Montevallo; board of directors, Metro Birmingham YMCA; member of

by Robert Carter

Linda Coleman-Madison

Alabama State Senate, District 20 Linda Coleman-Madison Party: Democrat Residence: Birmingham Political experience: Alabama State Senate, 2006-present; Alabama State House of Representatives, 2002-2006; Birmingham City Council, 1985-1997. Professional experience: Compliance officer, Americans with Disabilities, present; recruitment specialist, American Red Cross; Realtor, ReMAX Realty Consultants; teacher, Birmingham City Schools, 1972-1982. Civic experience: Member, Alabama Industries for

by Robert Carter

State Elections Chief Faces Criticism Over Partisanship

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has gotten into some intense partisan Twitter battles recently. Merrill is a Republican and he is running for re-election this Tuesday. Partisanship is to be expected among political candidates. But is it a problem when you are also the state’s top elections official? In a recent campaign advertisement, Merrill stands outside in front of a red trolley car and urges the people of Alabama to get out and vote. Later in the video, he tells them how they should vote. “Go in the ballot booth and pull the red elephant’s tail,” he says, “voting for all the Republicans … We need your help and your support in making sure there’s a red tidal wave.” Like many candidates running in Tuesday’s midterms, Merrill is campaigning for himself and his party. The thing is, as secretary of state, Merrill is Alabama’s chief elections official, so he oversees the election he is a part of. That has led to questions about whether that crosses an ethical line. “I think it’s an unavoidable conflict of interest,” David Kimball, political science professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis says. Read more.

by Mary Scott Hodgin, WBHM