This is a list ofspecial elections to the Alabama Senate. Such elections are called by thegovernor ofAlabama to fill vacancies that occur when a member of theAlabama Senate dies or resigns before the next general election. Winners of these elections serve the remainder of the term and are often candidates in the next election for their districts. General elections are held during themidterms.
For much of the first half of the 20th century, a "gentleman's agreement" compelled state senators to not seek re-election to allow counties from a different county to serve, meaning no county in a multi-county district would be represented two legislatures in a row. During special elections, new senators elected were generally from the same county as the outgoing senator. This practice began to die out in the 1960s. Only three districts kept the agreement by 1971 as reapportionment caused rural districts to take on more counties, making the rotation infeasible.[1][2]
Special elections to the Alabama Senate have occurred as early as 1820, when Nicholas David was elected to fill the vacancy in the Limestone senatorial district caused by the resignation ofThomas Bibb upon his succession to the governorship.[3]
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The following races took place after the2022 general election:
| District | County(ies)[4] | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | Fayette Jefferson (p) Lamar Tuscaloosa (p) Walker | Jun. 24, 2025 | Greg Reed (R) | Matt Woods (R) | Rep hold. | Incumbent senator resigned January 1, 2025 to serve as an advisor for GovernorKay Ivey's administration. | ||
| 9th | Blount (p) Marshall Madison (p) | Jan. 9, 2024 | Clay Scofield (R) | Wes Kitchens (R) | Rep hold. | Incumbent senator resigned October 30, 2023 to join the private sector. General election cancelled after the Republican primary, as no other candidates remained. | ||
The following races took place after the2018 general election:
| District | County(ies)[5] | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14th | Bibb Chilton (p) Shelby (p) | Jul. 13, 2021 | Cam Ward (R) | April Weaver (R) | Rep hold. | Incumbent senator resigned December 7, 2020 after being appointed to the state Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. | ||
| 26th | Montgomery (p) | Mar. 2, 2021 | David Burkette (D) | Kirk Hatcher (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned September 1, 2020 after a campaign finance violation conviction. | ||
The following race took place after the2014 general election:
| District | County(ies)[6] | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26th | Montgomery (p) | May 15, 2018 | Quinton Ross (D) | David Burkette (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned October 2, 2017 to become president of theAlabama State University. | ||
The following race took place after the2010 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35th | Mobile (p) | Dec. 10, 2013 | Ben Brooks (R) | Bill Hightower (R) | Rep hold. | Incumbent senator resigned December 4, 2012 after being elected acircuit judge of Mobile County. General election cancelled after the Republican runoff, as no other candidates remained.[7] | ||
The following races took place after the2006 general election:
| District | County(ies)[8] | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th | Jefferson (p) | Jun. 30, 2009 | Edward McClain (D) | Priscilla Dunn (D) | Dem hold. | Seat vacated on January 21, 2009 after a felony conviction. General election cancelled after the Democratic runoff, as no other candidates remained.[9] | ||
| 7th | Madison (p) | Jun. 7, 2009 | Parker Griffith (D) | Paul Sanford (R) | Rep GAIN. | Incumbent senator resigned January 3, 2009, after beingelected to theUnited States House of Representatives.[10] | ||
| 22nd | Baldwin (p) Choctaw (p) Clarke (p) Conecuh (p) Escambia Mobile (p) Monroe (p) Washington | Jun. 2, 2009 | Pat Lindsey (D) | Marc Keahey (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died January 11, 2009.[11] | ||
| 32nd | Baldwin (p) | Oct. 16, 2007 | Bradley Byrne (R) | Trip Pittman (R) | Rep hold. | Incumbent senator resigned May 24, 2007 to become chancellor of theAlabama Community College System.[12] | ||
The following race took place after the2002 general election:
| District | County(ies)[13] | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24th | Bibb (p) Choctaw (p) Greene Hale (p) Marengo (p) Perry (p) Sumter Tuscaloosa (p) | Jan. 25, 2005 | Charles Steele Jr. (D) | Bobby Singleton (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned August 10, 2004 after being elected vice president of theSouthern Christian Leadership Conference.[14] | ||
The following races took place after the1974 general election:
| District | County(ies)[15] | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd | Barbour (p) Chambers (p) Lee (p) Russell | Feb. 22, 1977 | C. C. Torbert Jr. (D) | G. J. Higginbotham (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in November 1976 after being elected to theAlabama Supreme Court. | ||
| 1st | Colbert (p) Franklin (p) Lauderdale | Feb. 1, 1977 | Ronnie Flippo (D) | Oscar Peden (I) | Ind GAIN. | Incumbent senator resigned in November 1976 after being elected to the United States House of Representatives. | ||
| 25th | Coffee (p) Covington Geneva Houston (p) | Nvo. 2, 1976 | Crum Foshee (D) | Wallace Miller (D) | Dem hold. | Seat vacated after a mail fraud conviction. After the conviction was overturned, the Senate reinstated Foshee on March 21, 1978. | ||
| 29th | Autauga (p) Dallas (p) Greene (p) Hale (p) Marengo Perry Sumter (p) | Aug. 31, 1976 | Walter C. Givhan (D) | Earl Goodwin (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died February 18, 1976. | ||
| 19th | Calhoun (p) St. Clair Talladega (p) | Aug. 31, 1976 | Bobby Weaver (D) | John Teague (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in January 1976 after pleading guilty to embezzlement charges. | ||
The following races took place after the1958 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | Madison | Jul. 22, 1962 | James Record (D) | Billy Laxson (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in March 1962 after being appointed to the Madison County Board of Commissioners. | ||
| 4th | Madison | Dave Archer (D) | James Record (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned after being appointed circuit judge of Madison County. Special election cancelled after only one candidate filed. | |||
| 10th | Elmore Tallapoosa | Carvel Woodall (D) | Upshaw Jones (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died February 19, 1959. Special election cancelled after only one candidate filed. | |||
The following race took place after the1954 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32nd | Greene Hale | James S. Coleman (D) | David Hall (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in January 1957 after being elected to the Alabama Supreme Court. Special election cancelled after only one candidate filed. | |||
The following races took place after the1950 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Blount Cullman Winston | Nov. 4, 1952 | Ben Fant (D) | Bill E. James (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died in July 1952 of a heart attack. | ||
| 17th | Butler Conecuh Covington | Nov. 4, 1952 | T. Werth Thagard (D) | Arthur E. Gamble Jr. (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in September 1952 after being appointed a circuit judge. General election candidate was unopposed. | ||
The following races took place after the1946 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | Jackson Marshall | Aug. 8, 1950 | C. J. Owens (D) | Chalmers Weathers (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died in December 1949. | ||
| 33rd | Mobile | Aug. 8, 1950 | Joseph N. Langan (D) | Thomas A. Johnston III (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in May 1950 among speculation that GovernorJim Folsom would call an extraordinary session of the Alabama Legislature for the purposes ofreapportionment. | ||
The following races took place after the1942 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8th | Talladega | May 11, 1943 | Kenneth A. Roberts (D) | Richard B. Kelly Jr. (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in March 1943 upon his enlistment in the Navy. | ||
| 30th | Dallas | Mar. 23, 1943 | Edgar Poe Russell (D) | John L. Sherrer (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in January 1943 upon his appointment to theAlabama Department of Corrections. | ||
| 28th | Montgomery | Jan. 26, 1943 | Charles A. Stakely (D) | Silas D. Cater (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned in December 1942 upon his enlistment in the Navy. | ||
The following races took place after the1938 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14th | Pickens Sumter | Mar. 26, 1940 | Verdo Elmore (D) | R. B. Doughty (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator resigned after being appointed judge of the 24th Judicial Circuit. | ||
| 23rd | Dale Geneva | Sep. 5, 1939 | Tim Faulk (D) | Clyde M. Segrest (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died in July 1939. | ||
The following races took place after the1934 general election:
| District | County(ies) | Contest | Incumbent | Winner | Result | Cause | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | Madison | Nov. 3, 1936 | Shelby S. Fletcher (D) | Schuyler H. Richardson (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died July 1, 1936. | ||
| 14th | Pickens Sumter | Nov. 3, 1936 | John A. Rogers (D) | Marcus E. McConnell (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died September 22, 1936. | ||
| 25th | Coffee Crenshaw Pike | Sep. 11, 1935 | Thomas J. Thrower (D) | W. H. Stoddard (D) | Dem hold. | Incumbent senator died July 12, 1935. | ||
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See also:Political party strength in Alabama | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
