1946 Alabama Senate election

1946 Alabama Senate election

← 1942 November 5, 1946 1950  →
All 35 seats in the Alabama State Senate 18 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader James A. Simpson (did not stand) — Party Democratic Republican Leader since November 16, 1942 — Leader's seat 13th–Jefferson Co. — Last election 35 seats, 99.41% 0 seats, 0.56% Seats won 35 0 Popular vote 164,226 8,889 Percentage 94.87% 5.13%
Winners by vote share Democratic:     60–70%     70–80%     90–100%     Unopposed
President pro tempore before election James A. Simpson Democratic Elected President pro tempore J. Bruce Henderson Democratic

The 1946 Alabama Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 5, 1946, to elect 35 representatives to serve four-year terms in the Alabama Senate. The result an electoral wipeout, as all 35 candidates elected were members of the Democratic Party. The election used the same districts first drawn by the Alabama Constitution of 1901.

32 of the 35 Democratic nominees did not face any opposition in the general election. As the Democratic Party was dominant in the state, state legislative seats were generally decided at the Democratic primary election. The first round of the Democratic primary was held on May 7 with runoff elections on June 4.

Senator J. Bruce Henderson of Wilcox County was unanimously chosen to be President pro tempore of the Senate on January 14, 1947. ^[1]

The election took place concurrently with elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state house, and numerous other state and local offices.

Summary

Party		Candidates			Seats
		Num.	Vote	%	Before	Won	+/–
	Democratic	35	164,226	94.87%	35	35
	Republican	3	8,889	5.13%	0	0
Total		38	173,115	100%	35	35

Incumbents

Most incumbent senators in multi-county districts did not seek re-election, as a gentlemen's agreement compelled state senators to give up their seats to allow a candidate from another county to serve. ^[2]

Won re-election

• District 22: J. Bruce Henderson won re-election.
• District 24: Preston C. Clayton won re-election.
• District 28: Silas D. Cater won re-election. Cater succeeded Charles A. Stakley in January 1943 after his resignation.

Eliminated in primary

• District 3: Finis St. John Jr. lost renomination to C. B. Harvey.
• District 8: Richard B. Kelly Jr. lost renomination to Graham Wright. Kelly succeeded Kenneth A. Roberts in May 1943 after his resignation.
• District 20: O. D. Carlton lost renomination to T. B. Perry.
• District 33: Vincent F. Kilborn lost renomination to Joseph N. Langan.
• District 11: Gordon Madison lost renomination to Henry H. Mize.

Did not seek re-election

• District 1: Orlan B. Hill unsuccessfully ran for a circuit court judgeship. ^[3]
• District 2: Vernon L. St. John did not seek re-election.
• District 4: Charles E. Shaver did not seek re-election.
• District 5: J. B. Benson did not seek re-election.
• District 6: Sam High sought the state house seat from St. Clair County, but withdrew for unspecified reasons. ^[4]
• District 7: Elvin McCary unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor. ^[5]
• District 9: Will O. Walton was elected a circuit court judge. ^[6]
• District 10: Lee Hornsby did not seek re-election. Was subsequently elected to Elmore County's first state house seat after a special primary in July 1946. ^[7]
• District 12: Reuben Newton unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor. ^[8]
• District 13: James A. Simpson unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate.
• District 14: John H. Pinson was elected to Sumter County's first state house seat. ^[9]
• District 15: George M. Taylor did not seek re-election.
• District 16: J. Monroe Black did not seek re-election.
• District 17: Tully A. Goodwin did not seek re-election.
• District 18: T. J. Jones did not seek re-election.
• District 19: Gerald Bradford unsuccessfully ran for Clarke County's first state house seat. ^[10]
• District 21: W. W. Garrett was elected to Monroe County's sole state house seat. ^[11]
• District 23: Douglas Brown did not seek re-election.
• District 25: M. N. Dodson did not seek re-election.
• District 26: Lawrence K. Andrews did not seek re-election.
• District 27: S. L. Toomer did not seek re-election.
• District 29: Lem J. Cobb unsuccessfully ran for Cherokee County's sole state house seat. ^[12]
• District 30: John L. Sherrer unsuccessfully ran for Dallas County's first state house seat. ^[13] Sherrer succeeded Edgar Poe Russell in March 1943 after his resignation in January 1943. ^[14]
• District 31: Jim Smith Jr. did not seek re-election. Unsuccessfully ran for the 1947 Alabama's 8th congressional district special election. ^[15]
• District 32: L. J. Lawson did not seek re-election.
• District 34: Charles S. Bentley did not seek re-election.
• District 35: M. W. Espy did not seek re-election.

General election results

By district

District	Democratic			Republican			Total
	Candidate	Votes	%	Candidate	Votes	%	Votes	Maj.	Mrg.
3rd	C. B. Harvey	8,561	63.75%	J. T. Johnson	4,867	36.25%	13,428	+3,694	+27.51%
13th	Albert Boutwell	29,514	93.90%	H. H. Grooms	1,917	6.10%	31,431	+27,597	+87.80%
15th	W. A. Gulledge	5,881	73.64%	A. B. Baxley	2,105	26.36%	7,986	+3,776	+47.28%
Source: Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1947 (p. 499–501) [16]

Elected without opposition

Every candidate elected without an opponent was a Democrat.

• District 1: David U. Patton received 4,587 votes.
• District 2: Noble J. Russell received 4,676 votes.
• District 4: R. J. Lowe received 3,765 votes.
• District 5: C. J. Owens received 4,150 votes.
• District 6: James B. Allen received 6,662 votes.
• District 7: Tom Blake Howle received 3,077 votes.
• District 8: Graham Wright received 2,632 votes.
• District 9: Paul J. Hooton received 3,728 votes.
• District 10: Broughton Lamberth received 5,010 votes.
• District 11: Henry H. Mize received 3,764 votes.
• District 12: Fuller Kimbrell received 7,725votes.
• District 14: W. E. Barrett received 2,339 votes.
• District 16: C. Mac Golson received 707 votes.
• District 17: R. G. Kendall Jr. received 4,671 votes.
• District 18: W. H. Cooper received 2,376 votes.
• District 19: Ben N. Glover received 3,572 votes.
• District 20: T. B. Perry received 1,349 votes.
• District 21: G. R. Swift received 4,833 votes.
• District 22: J. Bruce Henderson received 1,163 votes.
• District 23: J. A. Hughes received 3,212 votes.
• District 24: Preston C. Clayton received 1,526 votes.
• District 25: Vernon S. Summerlin received 4,599 votes.
• District 26: Forrest G. Bridges received 1,676 votes.
• District 27: A. L. Patterson received 2,449 votes.
• District 28: Silas D. Carter received 5,831 votes.
• District 29: T. F. Burnside received 6,684 votes.
• District 30: George P. Quarles received 1,980 votes.
• District 31: Rankin Fite received 7,453 votes.
• District 32: James S. Coleman Jr. received 1,725 votes.
• District 33: Joseph N. Langan received 5,102 votes.
• District 34: John E. Gaither received 4,436 votes.
• District 35: W. G. Hardwick received 2,811 votes.

Democratic primary results

Runoff results by district

Candidates in boldface advanced to the general election.

District	Winner			Loser			Total			Ref
	Candidate	Votes	%	Candidate	Votes	%	Votes	Maj.	Mrg.
8th	Graham Wright	3,099	66.54%	Richard Kelly (inc.)	1,558	33.46%	4,657	+1,541	+33.09%	[17]
13th	Albert Boutwell	25,843	52.98%	Emmett Perry	22,933	47.02%	48,776	+2,910	+5.97%	[18]
31st	Rankin Fite	7,205	53.78%	W. B. Mixon	6,193	46.22%	13,398	+1,012	+7.55%	[19]
33rd	Joseph N. Langan	9,109	62.26%	Vincent Kilborn (inc.)	5,522	37.74%	14,631	+3,587	+24.52%	[20]

First round results by district

Candidates in boldface advanced to either the general election or a runoff, first-place winners with an asterisk (*) did not face a runoff.

District	First place			Runners-up			Others			Total			Ref
	Candidate	Votes	%	Candidate	Votes	%	Candidate	Votes	%	Votes	Maj.	Mrg.
2nd	Noble J. Russell*	6,489	63.42%	Rutledge Thomas	3,742	36.58%	—	—	—	10,231	+2,747	+26.85%	[21]
3rd	C. B. Harvey*	3,655	56.18%	Finis St. John Jr. (inc.)	2,851	43.82%	—	—	—	6,506	+804	+12.36%	[22] [a]
5th	C. J. Owens*	6,085	51.77%	Claud D. Scruggs	5,669	48.23%	—	—	—	11,754	+416	+3.54%	[23] [24]
7th	Tom Blake Howle*	3,451	51.87%	C. W. Daugette	3,202	48.13%	—	—	—	6,653	+249	+3.74%	[25]
8th	Graham Wright*	2,071	54.72%	Richard Kelly (inc.)	1,196	31.60%	A. L. Hanks	518	13.69%	3,785	+875	+23.12%	[26]
10th	Broughton Lamberth*	6,146	53.93%	Mack Jackson	5,250	46.07%	—	—	—	11,396	+896	+7.86%	[27]
11th	Henry H. Mize*	6,138	63.86%	Gordon Madison (inc.)	3,474	36.14%	—	—	—	9,612	+2,664	+27.72%	[28]
12th	Fuller Kimbrell*	6,620	52.88%	J. W. Ayres	5,900	47.12%	—	—	—	12,520	+720	+5.75%	[29]
13th	Albert Boutwell	18,665	39.82%	Emmett Perry	12,798	27.30%	2 others [b]	15,416	32.89%	46,879	+5,867	+12.52%	[30]
14th	W. E. Barrett*	1,162	63.02%	J. T. Fendley	682	36.98%	—	—	—	1,844	+480	+26.03%	[31] [c]
15th	W. A. Gulledge*	1,195	61.03%	G. C. Walker	763	38.97%	—	—	—	1,958	+432	+22.06%	[32] [d]
19th	Ben N. Glover*	6,136	53.17%	Howard Scott	5,405	46.83%	—	—	—	11,541	+731	+6.33%	[33]
20th	T. B. Perry*	2,027	53.12%	O. D. Carlton (inc.)	1,789	46.88%	—	—	—	3,816	+238	+6.24%	[34]
22nd	J. Bruce Henderson (inc.)*	Nominated		Duck Sadler	Lost		—	—	—	Unknown			[35] [e]
25th	B. V. Summerlin*	4,520	57.06%	C. M. Taylor	3,401	42.94%	—	—	—	7,921	+1,119	+14.13%	[36]
27th	A. L. Patterson*	3,440	54.20%	Jimmie Putnam	1,572	24.77%	W. A. Dozier	1,335	21.03%	6,347	+1,868	+29.43%	[37]
28th	Silas D. Cater (inc.)*	7,042	76.11%	Charles B. Teasley	2,211	23.89%	—	—	—	9,253	+4,831	+52.21%	[38]
29th	T. F. Burnside*	3,344	55.54%	Lonnie G. McPherson	2,677	44.46%	—	—	—	6,021	+667	+11.08%	[39] [f]
31st	Rankin Fite	4,868	35.38%	W. B. Mixon	4,530	32.92%	R. L. Hill	4,363	31.71%	13,761	+338	+2.46%	[40]
32nd	James S. Coleman Jr.*	1,242	66.95%	W. P. Breen	613	33.05%	—	—	—	1,855	+629	+33.91%	[41] [g]
33rd	Joseph N. Langan	5,438	48.22%	Vincent Kilborn (inc.)	4,400	39.01%	Alexander Foremen	1,440	12.77%	11,278	+1,038	+9.20%	[42]
34th	John E. Gaither*	2,544	65.38%	W. H. Howle	1,347	34.62%	—	—	—	3,891	+1,197	+30.76%	[43] [h]

1. Cullman returns only. Harvey won all three counties.
2. Roger Snyder: 8,338 votes, 17.79%; Jerry Phillips: 7,078 votes, 15.10%
3. Sumter returns only. Barrett carried both counties.
4. Autauga returns only. Gulledge carried Shelby and Autauga, and Walker carried Chilton.
5. Vote totals unknown
6. DeKalb returns only.
7. Hale returns only. Coleman carried both counties.
8. Cleburne and Clay returns only, Gaither carried all three counties.

Nominated without opposition

The following candidates automatically won the Democratic nomination, as no opponent filed to run against them:

• District 1: David U. Patton
• District 4: R. J. Lowe
• District 6: James B. Allen
• District 9: Paul J. Hooton
• District 16: C. Mac Golson
• District 17: R. G. Kendall Jr.
• District 18: W. H. Cooper
• District 21: G. R. Swift
• District 23: J. A. Hughes
• District 24: Preston C. Clayton
• District 26: Forrest G. Bridges
• District 30: George P. Quarles
• District 35: W. G. Hardwick

1943–1946 special elections

District 28 (Montgomery)

A special election in Senate District 28 (Montgomery County) was made necessary by the resignation of Charles A. Stakely in December 1942 upon his enlistment in the Navy. Twenty-one of the twenty-three members of the Montgomery County Democratic Executive Committee endorsed Silas D. Cater to fill the seat. ^[44] Cater did not face opposition from any Republican or independent candidate.

1943 Alabama Senate District 28 special general election
January 26, 1943 ^[45]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Silas D. Cater	571	100.00%	N/A
Total votes			571	100.00%

District 30 (Dallas)

A special election in Senate District 30 (Dallas County) was made necessary by the resignation of Edgar Poe Russell in January 1943 upon his appointment to the Alabama Department of Corrections by governor Chauncey Sparks. John L. Sherrer was nominated by the county Democratic executive committee unopposed, and did not face opposition from any Republican or independent candidate. ^[46]

1943 Alabama Senate District 30 special general election
March 23, 1943 ^[45]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John L. Sherrer	394	100.00%	N/A
Total votes			394	100.00%

District 8 (Talladega)

A special election in Senate District 3 (Talladega County) was made necessary by the resignation of Kenneth A. Roberts in March 1943 upon his enlistment in the Navy. Richard B. Kelly Jr., who placed third in the regular Democratic primary in 1942, was nominated by the county Democratic executive committee in March 1943, and did not face opposition from any Republican or independent candidate. ^[47]

1943 Alabama Senate District 8 special Democratic meeting
March 20, 1943

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Richard B. Kelly Jr.	15	53.57%
	Democratic	C. A. Killough	12	42.86%
	Democratic	S. A. Burns	1	3.57%
Total votes			28	100.00%

1943 Alabama Senate District 8 special general election
May 11, 1943 ^[45]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Richard B. Kelly Jr.	371	98.67%	−1.33%
	Write-in		5	1.33%	New
Total votes			376	100.00%

See also

• 1946 Alabama elections
  • 1946 United States Senate special election in Alabama
  • 1946 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama
  • 1946 Alabama gubernatorial election
• 1946 United States elections

References

1. "Big Jim Folsom Wins Decisive Victory In First Test; Naming.. Speaker Of House". Talladega Daily Home . Associated Press. 15 January 1947. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
2. "Senate Rotation Object of Bill". The Haleyville Advertiser . 16 August 1957. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
3. "County Races". The Florence Herald . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
4. "Senator Sam High Withdraws From Legislative Race". Southern Aegis . 15 March 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
5. "McCary Support Pledged To Inzer". The Centreville Press . 23 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
6. "Coley, Abbett, Lamberth, Duffee, Rains Win". The Alexander City Outlook . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
7. "Lee Hornsby Winner Of Race In Elmore". The Anniston Star . Associated Press. 1 August 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
8. "Mr. Inzer Wins". The Etowah News-Journal . 6 June 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
9. Slone, Sam (9 May 1946). "Probate Runoff Only Local Race". Sumter County Journal . Retrieved 5 August 2025.
10. "Garrett, Robinson, And Gillis Are Winners In The County". The Clarke County Democrat . 9 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
11. "Folsom Carried 47 Of Counties". The Huntsville Times . Associated Press. 11 June 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
12. "List of legislators defeated". The Birmingham News . 12 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
13. "Poll Tax Main Issue In Sherrer's Defeat". The Huntsville Times . 5 June 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
14. "John Sherrer Nominated To State Senate". The Selma Times-Journal . 27 January 1943. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
15. "Bob Jones Wins". The Progressive Age . 24 October 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
16. Owen, Marie B. (1947). Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1947. Montgomery, Alabama: Walker Printing Company. pp. 427–429. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
17. "Wright Beats Kelly In State Senate Race". Alabama Journal . Associated Press. 5 June 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
18. "An Entirely New Delegation". The Birmingham News . 7 June 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
19. "Elected Senator". The Haleyville Advertiser . 6 June 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
20. "Langan Wins Senate Seat From Mobile". The Montgomery Advertiser . Associated Press. 5 June 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
21. "3 Runoffs In Lawrence". The Decatur Daily . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
22. "H. H. Kinney Re-Elected". The Decatur Daily . 12 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
23. "Homer Clayton Elected Tuesday". The Albertville Herald . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
24. "O'Neal Wins Out In Jackson Race". The Huntsville Times . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
25. "Vaughan, Lamar On School Board". The Anniston Star . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
26. "Run-Off Elections To Be Necessary In Several Major Races; Howell Leads Field". Talladega Daily Home . 8 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
27. "Corprew, Elder Enter Runoff". The Alexander City Outlook . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
28. "Veterans Take Over Political Circles In Recent Elections". The Birmingham News . 12 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
29. "State Seate Official Results". Fayette County Times . 9 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
30. "Luther Patrick Decides To Enter Runoff Race For Congressional Seat". The Birmingham News . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
31. "McConnell Leads In Probate Judge's Race". Our Southern Home . 16 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
32. "Official Count Brings Few Changes". The Prattville Progress . 16 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
33. "Mr. W. A. Gulledge, of Verbena, received the nomination for Senator from the 15th District." The Prattville Progress . 16 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
34. "Marengo County May 7th Primary Official Count". The Demopolis Times . 9 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
35. Sadler, Duck (23 May 1946). "To Fellow Citizens Of Wilcox County". Wilcox Progressive Era . Retrieved 5 August 2025.
36. "Summerlin Defeated Taylor For State Senator". The Enterprise Ledger . 17 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
37. "Patterson Elected To Senate And Ellis Leads In Gov. Race In Russell". The Phenix-Girard Journal . 10 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
38. "Busby's Election Unseats Veteran". The Montgomery Advertiser . 9 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
39. "Folsom Leads In Governor's Race; Albert Rains Wins for Congress". The Fort Payne Journal . 8 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
40. "Official Marion Primary Figures". The Haleyville Advertiser . 16 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
41. "Senate Seat Won By Coleman; Ramsey Gets House Seat". Greensboro Watchman . 9 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
42. "Mobile County Senator's Contest Goes To Run-Off". The Huntsville Times . Associated Press. 9 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
43. "Gaither Is Winner". The Cleburne News . 9 May 1946. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
44. "Committee Picks Cater For Senate". The Montgomery Advertiser . 18 December 1942. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
45. Owen, Marie B. (1943). Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1943. Montgomery, Alabama: Walker Printing Company. p. 850. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
46. "John Sherrer Nominated To State Senate". The Selma Times-Journal . 27 January 1943. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
47. "Dick Kelly Picked By County Committee For State Senator Post During Meet Saturday". Our Mountain Home . 24 March 1943. Retrieved 5 August 2025.