Government

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. See results from each county.

by Carol Nunnelley

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.

by Virginia Martin, Solomon Crenshaw, Sam Prickett and Robert Carter

City of Birmingham Has a 2018 Budget, Five Months Late. Next up, Zero-Based 2019 Budget

Dec. 12, 2017 — The Birmingham City Council Tuesday approved a budget for the 2018 fiscal year, more than five months after that fiscal year actually started. “We have a budget!” proclaimed Council President Valerie Abbott after the unanimous vote, drawing a standing ovation from many who had gathered in the council chambers. The delay was the result, at first, of an apparent breakdown in communications between former Mayor William Bell and the council. After the Oct. 3 municipal elections, the council further delayed passing the budget until newly elected officials — Mayor Randall Woodfin and the three new councilors — could have their input on the budget. Two weeks into Woodfin’s administration, his office delivered his budget “compromise,” which trimmed significant amounts earmarked for city departments and culture and recreation funding. While most councilors expressed a sense of relief about the passage of a budget, the specifics of the budget drew a more measured response. President Pro Tem Jay Roberson described himself as “elated” that the budget had passed and praised Woodfin for his influence. “I know he was ready to get this behind him, too, and ready to move forward to his next fiscal year for consideration,” he said. “There are some areas that I think need some work, but you can still make adjustments in that process as needed.” Speaking from the dais, District 1 Councilor Lashunda Scales thanked the mayor, but with muted praise. “The mayor knows that all of our expectations are very high with this incoming (2019) budget, and I think mine are probably superlative above,” she said, adding that, “in the spirit of willingness to work with everyone, I didn’t get all the things (I wanted).” But, she said, she was “looking forward” to the next set of budget discussions. “It was six months overdue,” Abbott said after the meeting, calling the delay “embarrassing.” “I would have agreed to almost anything to get our departments back functioning correctly and getting our employees their salary treatments that they desperately need at this time of year,” she added. “Not all of us like the budget, but we never all get what we want. That’s part of life. We’re used to that idea. We have to prioritize; my priority was to get the budget passed. Next year, things might be different.” Read more.

by Sam Prickett

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?

by Virginia Martin

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw

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.

by Anita Debro

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.

by Sam Prickett

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.

by Robert Carter

This year’s Birmingham City Budget Finally Set for a Vote

Dec. 11, 2017 — Now that Mayor Randall Woodfin has had a chance to read and make comments on the budget, the Birmingham City Council is poised Tuesday to finally pass a budget for the 2018 fiscal year, which began on July 1. During a joint meeting of the council’s committee of the whole and its budget and finance committee, the council reviewed Woodfin’s proposed changes to the budget — labeled on a handout as the “Mayor’s Compromise.” After some discussion over Woodfin’s decision to cut funding to the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority, councilors indicated they were prepared to pass the budget during the Dec. 12 council meeting . Woodfin encouraged councilors to pass the budget Tuesday, saying that passing the budget would enable discussions for the FY 2019 budget to begin. “I’m ready to start having those conversations Wednesday,” he said. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

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?

by Virginia Martin