Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox re-elected to sixth term; three incumbent councilors also win
In unofficial results, he won 87% of the vote against political newcomer Denson Ferrell II, who got 859 votes, to Maddox's 5,727.
All seven Tuscaloosa City Council and all eight Tuscaloosa City School Board seats were open. Council members Norman Crow, District 3, Lee Busby, District 4, and Kip D. Tyner, District 5 and council president, ran unopposed.
More: Nick Saban makes rare endorsement in Tuscaloosa municipal election
Of the other four incumbent councilors, three unofficially won re-election outright Tuesday with one incumbent facing a runoff:
Incumbent Matthew Wilson, District 1, earned 402 votes against his challengers Que Chandler, who received 321 votes, and Joe Eatmon, who received 333 votes. Since Wilson's vote total didn't meet the plurality — 50% plus one — standard, Wilson and Eatmon will be in a runoff election April 1.
Raevan Howard won re-election with 447 votes in District 2, against her challengers, Dennis "Quick" Collins, with 145, and Ashley R. Wheat, 280.
John Faile won re-election with 797 votes in District 6, against his challengers, Eric Gaines, with 269, and Lisa M. Young, 398.
Cassius Lanier won re-election with 668 votes in District 7, against his challenger, Oliver "Maurice" Sealey, with 277.
In the school board race, District 4 representative Patrick Hamner chose not to run, and Clint Mountain ran unopposed for that seat.
In District 1, incumbent Karen Thompson-Jackson won re-election with 851 votes to opponent Tony V. Humphries' 169.
The other school board incumbents ran unopposed: Eric M. Wilson, board chair; Kendra Williams, District 2; Lesley Powell, District 3; Erica Grant, District 5; Marvin L. Lucas, District 6; and Erskine E. Simmons, District 7.
"We certainly have challenges, but I know this community meets every challenge, and I can't wait to be a part of it," Maddox said Tuesday night at an election results watch party inside the University Club.
The first day of his sixth term is "... going to look like it does most days. That's getting to work early, working hard, trying to make a difference, working with a talented team, and a very supportive City Council" and putting Tuscaloosa first in every decision.
"There are a thousand things you have to do as mayor," he said, but three of the top priorities will be:
Continuing work to get Tuscaloosa police and firefighters pension plans converted into Retirement Systems of Alabama
Getting bids on the $100 million Saban Center, an interactive STEM hub, expected to break ground on construction this spring, with plans to open in 2027.
Going to bids on the Martin Luther King Jr./Jack Warner Parkway Phase III completion, which would conclude the $73 million road project, one of the city's largest.
Another ongoing major push will be attempting to restructure the Simplified Sellers User Tax, known colloquially as the internet sales tax. Maddox estimates the city loses over $15 million a year, and roughly $5 million a year for Tuscaloosa City Schools, the way the SSUT is currently administered.
Elections are culminating events, Maddox said.
"If we do a good job, the elections take care of themselves," he said.
Speaking with reporters early Tuesday morning after voting at his polling place, Church of the Highlands, he noted that "every corner of the city" had moved forward during under his tenure, despite dealing with a recession, the April 27, 2011, tornado that decimated 13% of Tuscaloosa in six minutes, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The best indicator of future performance is past performance," Maddox said, "and certainly I would think that our 20 years (of) service, of moving Tuscaloosa forward in some very difficult times, is a good resume to hopefully get another four years and earn another four years."
Turnout throughout the city was about 33% for the general election, as opposed to 55% in Tuscaloosa County for last November's election, with the presidential race topping the ballot.
"Municipal elections tend not to get the notoriety of a federal or state election, but arguably they probably matter more in your day to day than any other level of government," Maddox said.
Provisional ballots will be certified by the Tuscaloosa County Board of Registrars, becoming official when presented to the City Council on March 11. To win without a runoff, candidates must earn a plurality of the votes, 50% plus one. If a runoff election is required, it will be announced March 11, and be held April 1. Inauguration will be May 19.
Gary Cosby Jr. contributed to this report.
Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at mark.cobb@tuscaloosanews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Walt Maddox earns sixth term as Tuscaloosa mayor in municipal election
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Politico
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Are Christian nationalists targeting women's right to vote?
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Axios
a day ago
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Pentagon clarifies Secretary Hegseth's repost on women's right to vote
A Department of Defense official faced pressure Thursday to reaffirm Secretary Pete Hegseth's commitment to women's right to vote after the Pentagon chief reposted a video of a pastor in the secretary's church saying the opposite. Why it matters: Reposting the video is a part of a growing list of controversial moves Hegseth has made toward women amid his effort to purge the military of " wokeness." What they're saying: "Of course the Secretary thinks that women should have the right to vote," Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told reporters on Thursday. "I'm not going to litigate every single aspect of what he may or may not believe in a certain video," she said. Catch up quick: In the video, CNN interviews Christian Nationalist Pastor Doug Wilson and other pastors from Hegseth's church, the Congregation of Reformed Evangelical Churches. One of the pastors in the video, Toby Sumpter, said that families should vote as a household. "And I would ordinarily be the one to cast the vote," he said. "But I would cast the vote having discussed it with my household." A separate pastor said he would support repealing the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Hegseth reposted the video with the comment, "All of Christ for All of Life," leading to questions about the secretary's views on women's rights. Wilson, of the Pentagon, said at the press conference that Hegseth "very much appreciates many of Mr. Wilson's writings and teachings." The Pentagon referred Axios to Wilson's press conference when reached for further comment. Zoom out: The secretary has repeatedly come under fire for his stances on women in the military, and has previously said that the military "allowed itself to go woke." Generals and admirals "involved in any of the DEI woke s--t has got to go," Hegseth said. The secretary removed the first woman to lead the U.S. Naval Academy, Vice Adm. Yvette Davids last month, removing her before the end of her expected three-year term. Homeland Security announced the removal of Adm. Linda Fagan, the first woman to lead the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, who served as the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, was fired earlier this year.
