Stewart and Spencer in Senate District 23; four statewide amendments; polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 3
Perry County voters will settle two County Commission seats, a state Senate race and a state House race Tuesday, Nov. 3, and will decide a local amendment that would freeze property assessments for homeowners 65 and older, along with the statewide races and four statewide constitutional amendments.
In County Commission District 3, Commissioner Brett Harrison, a Republican, faces Democrat Donald Nichols of Marion, who has represented District 3 on the Perry County Board of Education for many years.
Donald Bennett, a Democrat, is the only name on the District 1 ballot. Bennett led Commissioner Albert Turner Jr. 398 to 397 after provisional ballots were counted in the May 19 Democratic primary, and Probate Judge Carlton Hogue certified him June 1. A July 9 recount ended 398 to 398, and Hogue, as county Democratic chairman, broke the tie for Bennett.
The state party’s contest committee voted 5-0 on Aug. 21 to count a disputed ballot for Turner, putting him ahead 399 to 398, and ordered Hogue to certify Turner, which Hogue did not do. Turner said Sept. 11 that he will run as a write-in candidate.
Commissioner Anthony J. Long, a Democrat, is unopposed in District 2.
Sheriff Roy J. Fikes, a Democrat appointed to the office by Gov. Kay Ivey in April 2025, is unopposed for a full term, as are Democrats Rita Kynard Smith for revenue commissioner, Coroner Edward Terrell Jones and Vera Davis for District 5 on the Perry County Board of Education.
In state Senate District 23, Sen. Robert Stewart, a Democrat, faces Republican Thayer “Bear” Havard Spencer. In state House District 68, Rep. Thomas E. “Action” Jackson, a Democrat who has held the seat since 1994, faces Republican Fred Kelley, the Republican nominee in 2022. Rep. Prince Chestnut, a Democrat, is unopposed in House District 67.
In the 7th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, a Democrat, faces Republican Ammie Akin.
Local Amendment 1, which appears only on Perry County ballots, would let a homeowner 65 or older claim a senior property tax exemption on a single-family, owner-occupied home that has been the owner’s principal residence for at least five years. The exemption freezes the assessed value of the property at its value for the year before the exemption is claimed.
Under the amendment, the homeowner keeps the exemption as long as the home remains the principal residence, and may still claim the homestead exemption and any other exemption allowed by law. The property stays subject to any change in millage rates, and the assessed value of any addition built after the exemption is claimed is added to the frozen value and taxed.
The exemption could first be claimed beginning Oct. 1, 2027, for the value of the property on Oct. 1, 2026, and must be claimed in writing with the Perry County revenue commissioner between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
The amendment was proposed by Act 2026-343, House Bill 573, sponsored by Jackson and Chestnut. The Governor’s proclamation of the election on it has run in the Herald’s legal notices for four weeks, ending with this edition.
At the top of the ballot, Democrat Doug Jones, a former U.S. senator, and Republican Tommy Tuberville, the state’s senior U.S. senator, are running for governor to succeed Gov. Kay Ivey, who is term-limited. Democrat Phillip Ensler, a state representative from Montgomery, and Republican John Wahl, the former state party chairman, are running for lieutenant governor, and Democrat Everett Wess, a Birmingham attorney, and U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, a Republican, for the Senate seat Tuberville is giving up.
Democrat Jeff McLaughlin and Republican Katherine Robertson are running for attorney general and Democrat Wayne Rogers and Republican Caroleene Dobson for secretary of state, both open seats. Democrat Rosilyn Houston faces State Treasurer Young Boozer, a Republican, and Democrat Violet Edwards faces State Auditor Andrew Sorrell, a Republican. Democrat Ron Sparks, who was commissioner of agriculture and industries from 2003 to 2011, and Republican Corey Hill, the mayor of Douglas, are running for that office.
On the Public Service Commission, where the incumbents in both places on the ballot lost Republican primaries this year, Democrat James O. Gordon and Republican Matt Gentry, the Cullman County sheriff, are running for Place 1 and Democrat Sheila D. McNeil and Republican Jim Zig Zeigler, the former state auditor, for Place 2.
Of the six appellate court seats on the ballot, only Supreme Court Place 8 is contested, between Democrat AshLeigh Meyer Dunham and Justice Greg Shaw, a Republican. Republicans Brad Mendheim for Supreme Court Place 7, Benjamin M. Bowden and Matt Fridy for Places 4 and 5 on the Court of Civil Appeals, and Mary Windom and Riggs Walker for Places 4 and 5 on the Court of Criminal Appeals are unopposed.
Four proposed amendments to the Alabama Constitution are on every ballot in the state. The Fair Ballot Commission’s statements on them, posted at AlabamaVotes.gov, say none of the four carries a cost or a tax. A yes vote changes the constitution; a no vote leaves it as it is.
Amendment 1 concerns the office of lieutenant governor. Under current law, if the office becomes vacant during a term, it generally stays vacant until the next regular election for it. The amendment would require an election to fill the office for the rest of the term if the vacancy comes more than 60 days before the next general election at which state officers are elected.
It would also let the Legislature set the pay of the lieutenant governor and of the officers of the House and Senate by joint resolution, and it would require that any spending of legislative funds on members’ travel be approved by an officer elected by the full membership of that chamber. It was proposed by Act 2026-341, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan.
Amendment 2 would create a way for two or more neighboring county school boards to merge into one multi-county school system by formal resolution of each board.
Before a merger could take effect, the State Board of Education would have to study its effects on students, families, programs, transportation, finances, taxes and school operations, and publish the study. If 25 percent of the qualified voters in any of the affected county systems filed a written protest, the merger could go forward only if a majority of voters in each affected county, and a majority of all votes cast across the counties, approved it at the next general election. It was proposed by Act 2026-378, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins.
Amendment 3 would require every local board of education to adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each school day, with students given the chance to recite it voluntarily, and a policy allowing student-initiated, student-led prayer. No student could be required to take part in the prayer, and students could opt out of the pledge or the prayer on their own beliefs. Reported violations would go to the local superintendent. It was proposed by Act 2026-379, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram.
Amendment 4 would require local boards of education to adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast the first stanza of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at least once a week during school hours. A board could instead allow a school-approved band, choir, vocal group or vocalist to perform it, using the version archived by the Library of Congress. It was proposed by Act 2026-424, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Voters must show a valid photo ID. The ballot offers a straight-party line for the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Republican Party, and the offices that run by district appear only in the precincts they cover. An absentee ballot returned by hand is due at the circuit clerk’s office by 4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, under the absentee election manager’s notice. One returned by mail must arrive by noon on election day. Results will be posted at each polling place after the count and at AlabamaVotes.gov.
