Alabama's 21st Senate district

Alabama's 21st State Senate district
Senator	Gerald Allen R – Cottondale
Demographics	67.1%  White 24.0%  Black 5.0%  Hispanic 1.7%  Asian
Population (2022)	145,432
Notes	[1]

Alabama's 21st Senate district is one of 35 districts in the Alabama Senate. The district has been represented by Gerald Allen since 2010.

Geography

The district covers the entirety of Pickens County and a portion of Tuscaloosa County. ^[2]

Election history

2022

Alabama Senate election, 2022: Senate District 21 ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Gerald Allen (Incumbent)	21,962	65.97	−1.54
	Democratic	Lisa Ward	11,198	33.64	+1.26
	Write-in		132	0.40	+0.29
Majority			10,764	32.33	−2.80
Turnout			33,292
	Republican hold

2018

Alabama Senate election, 2018: Senate District 21 ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Gerald Allen (Incumbent)	33,368	67.51	+5.21
	Democratic	Rick Burnham	16,005	32.38	−5.17
	Write-in		52	0.11	-0.04
Majority			17,363	35.13	+10.37
Turnout			49,425
	Republican hold

2014

Alabama Senate election, 2014: Senate District 21 ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Gerald Allen (Incumbent)	20,179	62.30	+11.10
	Democratic	Phil Poole	12,161	37.55	−11.11
	Write-in		48	0.15	+0.01
Majority			8,018	24.76	+22.22
Turnout			32,388
	Republican hold

2010

Alabama Senate election, 2010: Senate District 21 ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Gerald Allen	20,528	51.20	+20.65
	Democratic	Phil Poole (Incumbent)	19,509	48.66	−20.72
	Write-in		55	0.14	+0.07
Majority			1,019	2.54	−36.29
Turnout			40,092
	Republican gain from Democratic

2006

Alabama Senate election, 2006: Senate District 21 ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Phil Poole (Incumbent)	22,017	69.38	+10.61
	Republican	Joe Saxton	9,695	30.55	−8.34
	Write-in		23	0.07	+0.00
Majority			12,322	38.83
Turnout			31,735
	Democratic hold

2002

Alabama Senate election, 2002: Senate District 21 ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Phil Poole (Incumbent)	19,914	58.77	+8.73
	Republican	Jerry Tingle	13,179	38.89	−11.01
	Libertarian	Jean Allen	769	2.27	+2.27
	Write-in		23	0.07	+0.01
Majority			6,735	19.88	+19.74
Turnout			33,885
	Democratic hold

1998

Alabama Senate election, 1998: Senate District 21 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Phil Poole (Incumbent)	20,049	50.04	−48.40
	Republican	Robert J. Bentley	19,991	49.90	+49.90
	Write-in		25	0.06	-1.50
Majority			58	0.14	−96.75
Turnout			40,065
	Democratic hold

1994

Alabama Senate election, 1994: Senate District 21 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Phil Poole	25,548	98.44	−1.56
	Write-in		404	1.56	+1.56
Majority			25,144	96.89	−3.11
Turnout			25,952
	Democratic hold

1990

Alabama Senate election, 1990: Senate District 21 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ryan deGraffenried (Incumbent)	24,445	100.00
Majority			24,445	100.00
Turnout			24,445
	Democratic hold

1986

Alabama Senate election, 1986: Senate District 21 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ryan deGraffenried (Incumbent)	23,101	100.00
Majority			23,101	100.00
Turnout			23,101
	Democratic hold

1983

Alabama Senate election, 1983: Senate District 21 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ryan deGraffenried (Incumbent)	7,164	100.00
Majority			7,164	100.00
Turnout			7,164
	Democratic hold

1982

Alabama Senate election, 1982: Senate District 21 ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	T. D. Little	18,270	100.00
Majority			18,270	100.00
Turnout			18,270
	Democratic hold

Earlier elections

Following Reynolds v. Sims in 1964, which ruled that electoral districts of state legislatures must be roughly equal in population, the Alabama Senate was reapportioned to elect 35 Senators from 26 districts. ^[10] District 21 became a multi-member district, comprising of Montgomery County and electing 2 Senators using plurality block voting. ^[11] Following a further court case in 1972, the district, along with all others in the Alabama Senate, was reapportioned to a single-member district for the 1974 election. ^[12]

District officeholders

Senators take office at midnight on the day of their election. ^[13]

• Gerald Allen (2010–present)
• Phil Poole (1994–2010)
• Ryan deGraffenried (1983–1994)
• T. D. Little (1974–1983) ^[14]

As a multi-member district:

1966: [15] J. J. Pierce O. J. Goodwyn

1970: [16] J. J. Pierce Tom Jones

• L. W. Brannan Jr. (1962–1966) ^[17]
• Douglas Webb (1958–1962) ^[18]
• Ralph L. Jones (1954–1958) ^[19]

References

1. "Census profile: State Senate District 21, AL". Census Reporter. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
2. "McClendon Senate Plan 1" (PDF). Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
3. "Canvass of Results General Election November 8, 2022" (PDF). p. 53. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
4. "Canvass of Results General Election November 6, 2018" (PDF). p. 31. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
5. "Canvass of Results General Election November 4, 2014" (PDF). p. 26. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
6. "Canvass of Results General Election November 2, 2010" (PDF). p. 30. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
7. "Canvass of Results General Election November 7, 2006" (PDF). p. 34. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
8. "Certification of Results General Election November 5, 2002" (PDF). p. 4-5. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
9. Election Results Archive - Alabama Legislature. Available at: https://www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/election-data. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
10. Stewart, William. "Redistricting in the South" (PDF). Rose Institute of State and Local Government . p. 6. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
11. Alabama Legislature (1975). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1965 (second and third special sessions). Alabama Legislature. p. 312.
12. "U.S. COURT REVISES LINES IN ALABAMA". The New York Times. 4 January 1972. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
13. "Alabama Senate". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
14. Alabama Legislature (1975). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1975 (organizational and first, second, and third special sessions). Alabama Legislature. p. 4.
15. Alabama Legislature (1967). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1967 (organizational and special sessions). Alabama Legislature. p. 4.
16. Alabama Legislature (1971). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1971 (third special session). Alabama Legislature. p. 770.
17. Alabama Legislature (1963). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1963, volume 3 (regular session). Alabama Legislature. p. 2110.
18. Alabama Legislature (1959). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1959, volume 1 (organizational, special, and regular sessions). Alabama Legislature. p. 6.
19. Alabama Legislature (1956). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1956 (special session). Alabama Legislature. p. 352.