2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election

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The 2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election was held on 26 August 2014. [1] Both the mayor and all eight members of the city council were elected. The election date was announced on 3 July 2014. [2] [3]

Contents

Mayoral election

2014 Auburn, Alabama mayoral election
  2010 August 26, 2014 2018  
  Bill Ham.jpeg
CandidateBill Ham Jr.
Party Nonpartisan
Popular voteUncontested

Mayor before election

Bill Ham Jr.

Elected mayor

Bill Ham Jr.

The incumbent mayor Bill Ham Jr. ran unopposed in the mayoral election. [4]

City council elections

Four of the eight city council members ran unopposed, with three of those being incumbents. [5] [4]

Ward 1

Leading up to the election, two lawsuits were filed against Clemon Byrd, claiming that his house was not in the boundary lines of Ward 1. [6] The first lawsuit was dismissed following advice from attorney John Michael Segrest that the Lee County Circuit Court does not have the ability to remove a candidate's name form the ballot. [7] [8] The second lawsuit, filed by the Dowdell family, was dismissed in September 2014. [9] [10]

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 1 [11]
CandidateVotes %
Clemon E. Byrd25263.2%
Arthur L. Dowdell Sr.14736.8%
Total votes399 100.0%

Aftermath

After the election results were published, a fight broke out at Auburn City Hall among supporters of Arthur Dowdell. [5] Dowdell made claims of voter fraud, claiming that people voted twice, and "Clemon Byrd, once again, stole this election." [12]

Ward 2

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 2 [4]
CandidateVotes %
Ron Anders Jr. Unopposed100%

Ward 3

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 3 [11]
CandidateVotes %
Beth Witten21955.7%
Wendell McClain17444.3%
Total votes393 100.0%

Ward 4

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 4 [4]
CandidateVotes %
Brent BeardUnopposed100%

Ward 5

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 5 [11]
CandidateVotes %
Lynda V. Tremaine75383.9%
Robin Kelley14416.1%
Total votes897 100.0%

Ward 6

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 6 [11]
CandidateVotes %
Dick Phelan25362.2%
Brad Donnelly15437.8%
Total votes407 100%

Ward 7

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 7 [4]
CandidateVotes %
Gene DulaneyUnopposed100%

Ward 8

2014 Auburn, Alabama municipal election – Ward 8 [4]
CandidateVotes %
Thomas DawsonUnopposed100%

Alternate voting options

Absentee ballots were due by 25 August 2014. [13]

Election summary

PositionBefore election [14] After electionImage
MayorBill Ham Jr.Bill Ham Jr. Bill Ham.jpeg
Ward 1Arthur L. Dowdell Sr.Clemon Byrd Clemon Byrd 2014.jpg
Ward 2Ron Anders Jr. [a] Ron Anders Jr. Ron Anders Jr. 2014.jpg
Ward 3Thomas WordenBeth Witten Beth Witten 2014.jpg
Ward 4Brent BeardBrent Beard Brent Beard 2014.jpg
Ward 5Robin KelleyLynda Tremaine Lynda Tremaine 2014.jpg
Ward 6Dick PhelanDick Phelan Dick Phelan 2014.jpg
Ward 7Gene DulaneyGene Dulaney Gene Dulaney 2014.jpg
Ward 8Bob NormanThomas Dawson Tommy Dawson 2014.jpg

Notes

  1. Anders was appointed in 2012 after Sheila Eckman resigned, after being elected to the Lee County Commission. [15] [16]

References

  1. "2014 Municipal Election" (PDF). City of Auburn. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  2. Dorton, David (July 3, 2014). "Notice of Election". Auburn News. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  3. "2014 Scheduled Elections". Alabama Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Blankenship, Allison (July 14, 2014). "Candidates qualify for municipal election". The Auburn Villager. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Auburn municipal election results announced Tuesday". WTVM 9. August 27, 2014. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  6. "Second Auburn resident files suit against Byrd". The Auburn Villager. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  7. "Notice to Dismiss filed in case claiming Byrd's Ward 1 residency fraudulent". The Auburn Villager. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  8. Oliver, Kristen. "Auburn resident drops lawsuit against council hopeful Clemon Byrd". Opelika-Auburn News. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
  9. Taylor, Drew. "Judge dismisses suit claiming Auburn councilman doesn't live in ward he represents". Opelika-Auburn News. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  10. Taylor, Drew. "Dowdell family files complaint against Byrd following Auburn election upset". Opelika-Auburn News. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Resolution no. 14-177" (Document). Auburn, Alabama: City of Auburn. September 2, 2014.
  12. Taylor, Drew. "Clemon Byrd stuns incumbent Arthur Dowdell in Ward 1". Opelika-Auburn News. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  13. "Auburn prepares for August 26 municipal election". WTVM 9. August 15, 2014. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  14. "2014 Municipal Election" (PDF). City of Auburn. September 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  15. Callis, Sydney (November 18, 2012). "Ron Anders replaces Eckman as Ward 2 councilmember". The Auburn Plainsman. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  16. Chesser, Daniel. "Eckman moves from city to county elected offices". The Auburn Villager. Retrieved April 23, 2025.