Voting - Alabama Special Election for US Senate
Are you in Alabama? Do you know anyone in Alabama? Were you aware there’s a Primary soon?
This year, Alabama will hold a Special Election for the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions earlier this year. On Tuesday, August 15, Alabama’s Democratic and Republican parties will hold a Primary Election to determine the candidates on the general ballot. Here’s what you need to know.
Details
Originally, when Jeff Sessions (R) was selected to be Attorney General, former Governor Bentley (R) was not going to hold a special election for the seat until 2018 and selected former Attorney General Luther Strange (R) to fill the seat. However, when Bentley stepped down from office, new Governor Ivey (R) announced a special election would be held in 2017.
Alabama runs an Open Primary, meaning any registered voter can vote in any party’s primary. You do not need to be a registered Democrat to vote D or a registered Republican to vote R.
Alabama is considered a Safe Republican state by many pollsters, meaning it’s difficult for a Democratic candidate to gain footing or win.
If a runoff is to be held, it will happen on September 26.
The General Election will be on December 12.
Where Can I Find More Info
alabamavotes.com
Ballotpedia
Polling Times and Locations
Polls open at 7 am CST and close at 7 pm CST
Alabama does not have Early Voting
Find Polling Locations Here
Who’s Running?
There are 9 Republicans and 7 Democrats running in the Primary. The below list includes their names, small background, and policy. In order to present you the information from the candidate’s mouth, I am linking campaign websites, if they have one.
Take this information with a grain of salt, as these are only high level platform positions.. For example, “Tax cuts” or “affordable healthcare” sounds good on a high level, but what does that really mean coming from that person?
Research and form your own analysis of the issues to see if candidates align with your interests.
Democrats
Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll
Doug Jones - Former US Attorney appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997.
Jones identified increasing the minimum wage, prioritizing education as a job creator, encouraging renewable energyand conservation, abortion rights, and preventing discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions as policy priorities.
Robert Kennedy Jr. - Former naval officer, no relation to the Kennedy political family.
Kennedy named improving the Affordable Care Act, public education, gun ownership rights, abortion rights, and combatting voter suppression as policy priorities.
Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.
Will Boyd - Florence-based minister
Boyd lists growing the middle class, protecting the poor, fighting for women’s rights, and fighting for civil rights for all as platform.
Vann Caldwell - Executive Officer for Talladega County and business owner.
His website states his main goals are economic growth, protecting the environment, education reform, and military/homeland security.
Jason Fisher - Former Executive Director of the Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society
His website states his main issues are affordable healthcare reform, empowering the middle class, reducing the wealth gap, strengthening public education, promoting increased wages and benefits from employers for parents, investing in science and energy, immigration reform, and promoting disability and LGBTQ rights.
Michael Hansen - Executive Director of Alabama environmental advocacy group Gasp
His website states his priorities are economy and jobs, affordable healthcare reform, strengthening public education, environmental protection, climate change, and anti-discrimination against LGBTQ and people of colour.
Charles Nana - Immigrant from Cameroon, West Africa and business consultant
His website states his issues are ensuring livable wages, care for veterans and poor, criminal justice reform, and ensuring free education from Pre-K to college.
Republicans
Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll
(Current Incumbent) Luther Strange - Former Attorney General of Alabama.
On his campaign website, Strange listed defending religious freedom, supporting the Trump administration's agenda, and repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act as top issues. His tenure as attorney general of Alabama focused on challenging the Obama administration's healthcare agenda and environmental regulations in court.
Strange enjoys the support of current Senate leadership.
Mo Brooks - Currently sits in the US House of Representatives (AL-5).
Brooks identified the national debt, border security, and promoting free enterprise as three policy priorities.
Roy Moore - Former AL Supreme Court Justice.
On his campaign website, he identified implementing a flat tax, giving tax credits for employee health care coverage, encouraging coal mining and oil drilling, and eliminating the Common Core as policy priorities.
Roy Moore was removed from his position as Supreme Court Justice twice. Once for refusing to comply with an order to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments and the second for refusing to uphold Obergefell v Hodges.
Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.
James Beretta - Pelham-based physician
His website lists his platform as repeal Affordable Care Act and the McCarran-Ferguson Act, restructure tax grades, remove Common Core standards, raise standard of living for active duty military, secure borders, and end free tax for foreign nationals starting businesses in the US.
Joseph Breault - Montgomery-based USAF Chaplain
Breault does not appear to have a website or easily accessible platform information.
Randy Brinson - Montgomery-based gastroenterologist and founder of faith-based Redeem the Vote
Website states his policies focus on jobs and trade, reduced government spending, reduced government regulations, ending Common Core, increasing national security, and repealing Affordable Care Act.
Mary Maxwell - Researcher from Australia
Her website states her platform is heavy on states right, strict following of the US Constitution, and having no women in the military.
Bryan Peeples - Birmingham-based business consultant
His website states his platform focuses on healthcare reform, tax cuts, corporate and small business tax reform, restricting usage of executive orders, and term limits on Congress.
Tripp Pittman - Current AL State Senator (District 32, Montrose)
His website states support for reducing taxes and government spending, religious freedom, fighting for agriculture industry, increased national security, better care for veterans, border wall and immigration changes, and pro-life stances.
