Mayors’ race stayed until 2025

BY BRUCE BRANUM

The Greenville Standard

 

With the passage of Alabama Senate Bill 119 and Gov. Kay Ivey’s signature, the mayors’ races for the City of Greenville, City of Georgiana, and Town of McKenzie have been set back to June 2025.

Approximately 97 percent of municipalities in Alabama will be moved away from the presidential election cycle.

Those municipalities will hold their next elections in June 2025 and will hold elections every four years thereafter.

The legislation was created to avoid constitutional issues caused by shortening an elected official’s term of office.

Alabama House District 90 Representative Chris Sells indicated the legislation was passed largely due to confusion of polling locations during the 2020 elections.

A number of voters expressed confusion between county and city polling locations and the legislation is an attempt to resolve the issue.

Cities the election cycle will not change for include: Auburn, Bessemer, Dothan, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Mountain Brook, Scottsboro, Talladega, and Tuscaloosa.

In addition, the dates for qualification of candidates will be moved from July to June in order to provide more time for confirmation of candidate’s eligibility before the printing of ballots.

It also shortens the run-off time from six weeks to four weeks.