2016 Alabama elections

2016 Alabama elections

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A general election was held in the U.S. state of Alabama on November 8, 2016. Along with the presidential election, all of Alabama's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives, a United States Senate seat and several state-level and local offices were up for election. Primary elections took place on March 1, 2016. ^[1]

Federal offices

President of the United States

Main article: 2016 United States presidential election in Alabama

Republican candidate Donald Trump won Alabama with 62% of the vote and gained nine electoral votes.

United States Senate

Main article: 2016 United States Senate election in Alabama

Incumbent Republican Senator Richard Shelby won re-election to a sixth term in office with 63% of the vote.

United States House of Representatives

Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama

All of Alabama's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2016. Six Republicans and one Democrat were re-elected. No districts changed partisan control.

Public Service Commission

Incumbent Alabama Public Service Commission president Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh won re-election to a second term. ^[2]

No Democrats filed to run for this race. ^[3]

Republican primary

Candidates

• Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, incumbent. ^[4]
• Terry Dunn, former commissioner. ^[4]

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (incumbent)	439,406	63.04%
	Republican	Terry Dunn	257,652	36.96%
Total votes			697,058	100%

General election

2016 Alabama Public Service Commission election ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (incumbent)	1,372,948	97.21%
	Write-in		39,407	2.79%
Total votes			1,412,355	100%

State judiciary

Three seats on the Supreme Court of Alabama were up for election in 2016. Of these three only one seat was contested as justice Tom Parker faced a challenger in his bid for re-election. ^[7]

Alabama Supreme Court, Parker seat

Republican primary

Candidates

• Tom Parker, incumbent. ^[8]
• Donna Beaulieu, attorney. ^[8]

Primary results

Republican primary results ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Parker (incumbent)	448,747	72.50%
	Republican	Donna Beaulieu	170,194	27.50%
Total votes			618,941	100%

General election

2016 Alabama Supreme Court election ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Parker (incumbent)	1,375,534	97.52%
	Write-in		34,961	2.48%
Total votes			1,410,495	100%

Ballot measures

Fifteen statewide measures appeared on the ballot in Alabama - one in March and fourteen in November. ^[9]

Summary

2016 Alabama ballot measures

Name	Description	Votes				Type
		Yes	%	No	%
Amendment 1 (March)	Changes retirement plans for state judicial officials. [10]	680,092	62.84	402,240	37.16	Legislatively referred constitutional amendment
Amendment 1 (November)	Adds two members, elected at large, to the Auburn University Board of Trustees. [11]	1,182,618	73.43	427,883	26.57
Amendment 2	Prohibits reallocation of state park funds for other uses. [12]	1,414,033	79.74	359,354	20.26
Amendment 3	Changes the procedure for determining local constitutional amendments. [13]	932,652	60.63	605,498	39.37
Amendment 4	Authorizes county commissions to establish programs pertaining to the administration of their respective counties. [14]	1,141,004	71.67	450,952	28.33
Amendment 5	Rewords sections of the state constitution that address the state government's separation of powers. [15]	922,670	59.99	615,275	40.01
Amendment 6	Requires two-thirds vote in the Alabama Senate for conviction and impeachment of a state official. [16]	788,399	53.59	682,889	46.41
Amendment 7	Places employees of the Etowah County Sheriff's office under the authority of its Personnel Board. [17]	704,567	59.38	482,042	40.62
Amendment 8	Adds "right to work" to the state constitution. [18]	1,119,034	69.61	488,515	30.39
Amendment 9	Increases the maximum age allowed for candidates for the position of Judge of Probate in Pickens County. [19]	600,579	51.05	575,882 [A]	48.95
Amendment 10	Makes any territory in Calhoun County subject to the police jurisdiction and planning jurisdiction of its respective municipality. [20]	765,364	65.62	401,054	34.38
Amendment 11	Confirms the Major 21st Century Manufacturing Zone Act, allowing Alabama cities to create specific zones to attract industry. [21]	866,515	59.27	595,392	40.73
Amendment 12	Establishes governing body to oversee toll roads and bridges within Baldwin County. [22]	630,834	50.69	613,632 [B]	49.31
Amendment 13	Removes age restrictions for government official positions, with the exception of judicial offices.. [23]	876,141	57.36	651,178	42.64
Amendment 14	Guarantees the application of budget isolation resolutions to local laws passed by state legislature prior to November 8, 2016. [24]	1,041,400	68.70	474,519	31.30
Source: Alabama Secretary of State [25] [6]

Results by county

Amendment 1 (March) results by county

Yes:

•   80–90%
•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   50–60%

Amendment 1 (November) results by county

Yes:

•   80–90%
•   70–80%
•   60–70%

Amendment 2 results by county

Yes:

•   80–90%
•   70–80%
•   60–70%

Amendment 3 results by county

Yes:

•   80–90%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   50–60%

Amendment 4 results by county

Yes:

•   80–90%
•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

Amendment 5 results by county

Yes:

•   80–90%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   50–60%

Amendment 6 results by county

Yes:

•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   60–70%
•   50–60%

Amendment 7 results by county

Yes:

•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   60–70%
•   50–60%

Tie:

•   50%

Amendment 8 results by county

Yes:

•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   50–60%

Amendment 9 results by county

Yes:

•   50–60%

No:

•   60–70%
•   50–60%

Amendment 10 results by county

Yes:

•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   60–70%

Amendment 11 results by county

Yes:

•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   50–60%

Amendment 12 results by county

Yes:

•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   60–70%
•   50–60%

Amendment 13 results by county

Yes:

•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

No:

•   50–60%

Amendment 14 results by county

Yes:

•   80–90%
•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

Notes

1. Despite receiving >50% approval statewide, in Pickens County itself the amendment failed 48%–52%. As such, the amendment was rejected in accordance with Alabama state law. ^[a]
2. Despite receiving >50% approval statewide, in Baldwin County itself the amendment failed 48%–52%. As such, the amendment was rejected in accordance with Alabama state law. ^[a]

1. Alabama state law states that constitutional amendments addressing issues in a specific county must receive approval from the majority of voters in that county in addition to approval from the majority of voters statewide in order to pass.

References

1. "Alabama elections, 2016". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
2. "Twinkle Cavanaugh holds onto PSC leadership post; the latest on other statewide races". The News Courier . March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
3. "Alabama Public Service Commission election, 2016". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
4. Cason, Mike (February 29, 2016). "Twinkle Cavanaugh, Terry Dunn clash again in race for PSC presidency". al. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
5. "Republican Party Primary". Alabama Secretary of State. March 11, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
6. "Certified General Election Results" (PDF). Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
7. "Alabama judicial elections, 2016". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
8. Faulk, Kent (February 25, 2016). "Alabama Supreme Court Justice Tom Parker seeks third term". al. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
9. "Alabama 2016 ballot measures". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
10. "Alabama Judicial Retirement Measure, Amendment 1 (March 2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
11. "Alabama Auburn University Board of Trustees, Amendment 1 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
12. "Alabama Rules Governing Allocation of State Park Funds, Amendment 2 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
13. "Alabama Rules for Determining a Local Constitutional Amendment, Amendment 3 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
14. "Alabama County Affairs Administration, Amendment 4 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
15. "Alabama State Constitutional Language Governing Separation of Powers, Amendment 5 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
16. "Alabama Impeachment, Amendment 6 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
17. "Alabama Supervision of Employees in the Etowah County Sheriff's Department, Amendment 7 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
18. "Alabama Right to Work, Amendment 8 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
19. "Alabama Increase of Maximum Qualifying Age for Pickens County Judges, Amendment 9 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
20. "Alabama Restriction of Police and Planning Jurisdiction in Calhoun County, Amendment 10 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
21. "Alabama Use of City Manufacturing Zone Tax Revenue to Incentivize Manufacturing, Amendment 11 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
22. "Alabama Authorization of Toll Districts and Toll District Revenue Bond Debt in Baldwin County, Amendment 12 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
23. "Alabama Removal of Age Restriction for Government Officials, Amendment 13 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
24. "Alabama Approval of Budget Isolation Resolution Proposing a Local Law, Amendment 14 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
25. "Alabama Judicial Retirement Measure". Vote Smart . Retrieved August 5, 2025.