2018 Alabama elections

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2018 Alabama elections
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2020  

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Alabama on November 6, 2018. All Alabama executive officers were up for election along with all of Alabama's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections took place on June 5, 2018, for both major parties. [1]

Contents

Governor

Incumbent Republican governor Kay Ivey, who assumed the office upon the resignation of Robert J. Bentley in April 2017, ran for election to a full term against Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and independent write-in Chad Chig Martin. Kay Ivey won with 60% of the votes.

Lieutenant governor

The office of Lieutenant Governor was vacant prior to the election.

State House Representative Will Ainsworth, State Senator Rusty Glover, and Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh [2] were running for the Republican nomination. [3] [4] [5] [6] Dr. Will Boyd from Florence ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Democratic primary

Primary results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Will Boyd Uncontested
Total votes

Republican primary

Primary results

Republican primary results [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Twinkle Cavanaugh 238,333 43.27
Republican Will Ainsworth 204,465 37.12
Republican Rusty Glover 107,98119.61
Total votes550,779 100

Runoff results

Republican primary runoff results [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Will Ainsworth 176,680 51.49
Republican Twinkle Cavanaugh166,47548.51
Total votes343,155 100

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Will
Ainsworth (R)
Will
Boyd (D)
Undecided
Cygnal (R) July 24–25, 20181,027± 3.1%53%41%6%

Results

2018 Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Will Ainsworth 1,044,941 61.25
Democratic Will Boyd660,01338.69
n/a Write-ins1,0230.06
Total votes1,705,977 100
Republican hold

Attorney general

Incumbent Republican attorney general Steve Marshall, was appointed to the office by Governor Robert J. Bentley in February 2017, ran for election to a full term against, Joseph Siegelman, the son of the former governor Don Siegelman. Marshall won with 58.8% of the votes.

2018 Alabama Attorney General election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Steve Marshall (incumbent) 1,004,438 58.79
Democratic Joseph Siegelman702,85841.14
n/a Write-ins1,1410.07
Total votes1,708,437 100
Republican hold

Secretary of state

Incumbent Republican secretary of state John Merrill ran for re-election to a second term.

Democratic primary

Primary results

Democratic primary results [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Heather Milam 160,738 63.67
Democratic Lula Albert91,73636.33
Total votes252,474 100

Republican primary

Primary results

Republican primary results [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican John Merrill (incumbent) 334,922 71.64
Republican Michael Johnson132,60127.84
Total votes467,523 100

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
John
Merrill (R)
Heather
Milam (D)
Undecided
Cygnal (R) July 24–25, 20181,027± 3.1%57%38%5%

Results

Governing magazine projected the race as "safe Republican". [12]

2018 Alabama Secretary of State election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican John Merrill (incumbent) 1,032,425 61.02
Democratic Heather Milam658,53738.92
n/a Write-ins1,0640.06
Total votes1,692,026 100
Republican hold

State auditor

Incumbent Republican state auditor Jim Zeigler was running for re-election to a second term.

Democratic primary

Primary results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Miranda Joseph Uncontested
Total votes

Republican primary

Primary results

Republican primary results [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Zeigler (incumbent) 261,418 55.62
Republican Stan Cooke153,16032.59
Republican Elliott Lipinsky55,43711.79
Total votes470,015 100

General election

Results

2018 Alabama State Auditor election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Zeigler (incumbent) 1,018,466 60.43
Democratic Miranda Joseph665,67939.49
n/a Write-ins1,3620.08
Total votes1,685,507 100
Republican hold

State treasurer

Incumbent Republican state treasurer Young Boozer was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third consecutive term.

Democratic primary

No Democratic candidates filed to run in the primary.

Republican primary

Primary results

Republican primary results [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican John McMillan 273,374 61.18
Republican David Black95,45421.36
Republican Stephen Evans78,01017.46
Total votes446,838 100

General election

Results

2018 Alabama State Treasurer election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican John McMillan 1,085,054 97.14
n/a Write-ins31,9682.86
Total votes1,117,022 100
Republican hold

Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries

Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third consecutive term. The Republican candidates are Lowndesboro Mayor and Lowndes County GOP chairman Rick Pate, former FBI field intelligence supervisor T. O. (Tracy) Crane, State Senator Gerald Dial, and Cecil Murphy.

Democratic primary

No Democratic candidates filed to run in the primary.

Republican primary

Primary results

Republican primary results [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rick Pate 181,098 40.37
Republican Gerald Dial 134,511 29.98
Republican Cecil Murphy77,15417.20
Republican Tracy Crane55,83812.45
Total votes448,601 100

Runoff results

Republican primary runoff results [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rick Pate 176,519 56.70
Republican Gerald Dial 134,79943.30
Total votes311,318 100

General election

Results

2018 Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rick Pate 1,081,431 97.19
n/a Write-ins31,3122.81
Total votes1,112,743 100
Republican hold

Public Service Commission

The two associate commissioner seats on the Alabama Public Service Commission was up for election. Incumbent Republican commissioners Jeremy Oden, who was appointed to the commission by Governor Bentley in December 2012, and Chip Beeker, who was first elected in 2014, were both eligible to run for re-election.

Place 1

Democratic primary

Candidates
  • Cara McClure [7]
Results
Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Cara McClure Uncontested
Total votes

Republican primary

Candidates
Results
Republican primary results [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jeremy Oden (incumbent) 215,540 50.34
Republican Jim Bonner212,64649.66
Total votes428,186 100

General election

Results
2018 Alabama Public Service Commissioner election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jeremy Oden (incumbent) 1,013,072 60.42
Democratic Cara McClure662,58139.52
n/a Write-ins9400.06
Total votes1,676,593 100
Republican hold

Place 2

Democratic primary

Candidates
  • Kari Powell [7]
Results
Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Kari Powell Uncontested
Total votes

Republican primary

Candidates
Results
Republican primary results [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Chip Beeker (incumbent) 275,184 68.74
Republican Robin Litaker125,14531.26
Total votes400,329 100

General election

Results
2018 Alabama Public Service Commissioner election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Chip Beeker (incumbent) 1,006,713 60.05
Democratic Kari Powell668,62039.89
n/a Write-ins1,0290.06
Total votes1,676,362 100
Republican hold

Alabama State Legislature

Every member of the Alabama state legislature was up for election in 2018. Both state senators and state representatives serve four-year terms in Alabama. After the 2014 elections, Republicans maintained control of both chambers. In 2018, all 35 Alabama Senate seats and all 105 Alabama House of Representatives seats were up for election. These seats will not be contested in a regularly-scheduled election again until 2022.

The outcome of this election could affect partisan balance during post-2020 census redistricting. [14]

Senate

Republicans won 27 while Democrats won 8 seats. The Republican Party gained 1 seat, the 29th, which was held by an retiring independent who caucused with the Republicans.

House of Representatives

Republicans won 77 seats while Democrats won 28 seats. The Republican Party gained 5 seats.

United States House of Representatives

All of Alabama's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. 6 Republicans and 1 Democrat were returned. No districts changed hands.

Ballot measures

Amendment 1

Amendment 1 [10]
ChoiceVotes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes1,094,67771.65
No433,13328.35
Total votes1,527,810100.00

Amendment 2

This is an approved legislatively referred constitutional amendment to the Constitution of Alabama that appeared on the ballot on November 6, 2018. The amendment was on abortion.

Amendment 2
(a) This state acknowledges, declares, and affirms that it is the public policy of this state to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life.

(b) This state further acknowledges, declares, and affirms that it is the public policy of this state to ensure the protection of the rights of the unborn child in all manners and measures lawful and appropriate.

(c) Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion.
Results
Choice
Votes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svgYes916,06159.01%
Light brown x.svgNo636,43840.99%
Valid votes1,552,499100.00%
Invalid or blank votes00.00%
Total votes1,552,499100.00%

Alabama Constitutional Amendment 2 results 2018.svg
Results by county

Yes

  80–90%
  70–80%
  60–70%
  50–60%

No

  70–80%
  60–70%
  50–60%
Source: Alabama Secretary of State [10]

Amendment 3

Amendment 3 [10]
ChoiceVotes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes835,70760.30
No550,29939.70
Total votes1,386,006100.00

Amendment 4

Amendment 4 [10]
ChoiceVotes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes973,95166.13
No498,91833.87
Total votes1,472,869100.00

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References

  1. "Administrative Calendar: 2018 Statewide Election" (PDF). Alabama Secretary of State.
  2. 1 2 Cason, Mike (August 17, 2017). "Twinkle Cavanaugh switches to lieutenant governor's race". AL.com. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Cason, Mike (February 22, 2017). "Sen. Rusty Glover to run for lieutenant governor of Alabama". AL.com. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  4. Sims, Cliff (October 29, 2015). "These are the politicians eyeing a run for Alabama's highest offices in 2018". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  5. Cason, Mike (May 31, 2017). "Mary Scott Hunter to run for lieutenant governor of Alabama". AL.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Will Ainsworth For Lt. Governor". Will Ainsworth For Lt. Governor.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Blog - Alabama Democrats". Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Unofficial Election Night Results". Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  9. 1 2 "Unofficial Election Night Results". Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "2018-Official General Election Results Certified-2018-11-27.pdf" (PDF). Alabama Secretary of State . Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 "Unofficial Election Night Results". Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  12. Jacobson, Louis (June 4, 2018). "Secretary of State Races Are More Competitive and Important Than Ever". Governing. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  13. "Tocrane". Archived from the original on June 1, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  14. Wendy Underhill; Ben Williams (December 4, 2019), "Election Dates for Legislators and Governors Who Will Do Redistricting", Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures
Official lieutenant gubernatorial campaign websites
Official attorney general campaign websites
Official Secretary of State campaign websites
Official State Auditor campaign websites
Official place 1 public service commission websites
Official place 2 public service commission websites