2008 Jefferson County municipal elections

2008 Jefferson County municipal elections were held August 26, 2008. On the day of the election remnants of the weather system that made landfall as Tropical Storm Fay were lingering over the region.

The following were the contests in cities and towns in Jefferson County. See 2008 municipal elections for contests in other counties.

Adamsville

• Mayor: Pam Palmer avoided a runoff by garnering 672 votes (56%) to replace the retiring Terry Loggins. Stephen Adams (235 votes) finished second in the race. Johnny Click (163 votes) and Terrell Guy (138 votes) also ran.

• Council:
  • Ward 1: Anthony Brooklere (150 votes) defeated Mickey McGehee (43 votes) for the open seat.
  • Ward 2: Reginald Crawford (109 votes) and incumbent Ed Scott (103 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Gary Herron (22 votes).
  • Ward 3: Incumbent Tammy Abston (164 votes) held off a challenge by Joy Ann Perry (109 votes).
  • Ward 4: Ron Mosley (135 votes) narrowly defeated incumbent Timothy Buckelew (131 votes).
  • Ward 5: Yohance Owens ran unopposed and was certified on July 28.

Brighton

• Mayor: Angelo Hinkle (284 votes) and Rhonda Bean (189 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating incumbent mayor Eddie Cooper (181 votes) and Erskine Davis (69 votes). Unofficial runoff returns showed 532 votes for Hinkle to 266 for Bean, who plans to challenge the election on the grounds that Hinkle used city materials for his campaign.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Incumbent Joseph Edwards ran unopposed and was certified on August 5.
  • Place 2: Barbara Watkins (339 votes) and Jerome McMullin, Jr (295 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Susie Bender (89 votes). Watkins won the runoff 441 to 342.
  • Place 3: Incumbent Cora Smith (369 votes) held off a challenge by Andrea Tubbs (332 votes)
  • Place 4: Tom Henderson ran unopposed and was certified on August 5. (Barbara Watkins had previously challenged him, but instead ran in Place 2)
  • Place 5: Annie Woods (258 votes) and Lonnie Murray (238 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Monroe Holloway (225 votes) in a tight three-way race. Murray overcame the 20-vote primary deficit to win the runoff 452 to 335.

Brookside

• Mayor: Current mayor Roger McCondichie ran unopposed.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Dennis Cordell ran unopposed.
  • Place 2: David Butler ran unopposed.
  • Place 3: Terry Bensko ran unopposed.
  • Place 4: Daryl Burr ran unopposed.
  • Place 5: Michael Gooch ran unopposed.

Cardiff

• Mayor: Gregory Moore, Jr ran unopposed.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Matthew Williams ran unopposed.
  • Place 2: Timothy Mitchell ran unopposed.
  • Place 3: Peggy Sue Williams ran unopposed.
  • Place 4: Jonathan Manning ran unopposed.
  • Place 5: Shirley Mitchell ran unopposed.

Center Point

• Mayor: 2-term incumbent Tom Henderson (976 votes) soundly defeated challenger Frederick Burkes (155 votes).

• Council:
  • Place 1: Danny King ran unopposed.
  • Place 2: Incumbent Linda Kennemur ran unopposed.
  • Place 3: Incumbent Roger Barlow (934 votes) defeated challenger Malcolm Pepper (182 votes).
  • Place 4: Incumbent Raymond Olan ran unopposed.
  • Place 5: Incumbent Terry Leesburg ran unopposed.

Clay

• Mayor: Ed McGuffie defeated incumbent Charles Hart and challengers Vic Aldridge and Dean Kirkner. McGuffie garnered 51% of the vote and thereby won without a runoff. Hart had 36%, Kirkner, a current City Councilman, got 10% and Aldridge got 5%. In all 1,174 of Clay's 6,026 registered voters (29%) turned out for the election.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Chuck McGuffie (son of the mayor-elect) kept his Council seat with 63% of the vote. Ricky Farmer and Keith Waterhouse were the unsuccessful challengers.
  • Place 2: Kevin Small defeated Jeff Cole by earning 56% of the vote.
  • Place 3: Charles Webster ran unopposed.
  • Place 4: L. B. Feemster defeated Lou Ann Chestnut with 54% of the vote.
  • Place 5: Jackie Hambrick won easily over Stan Gilbreath with 60% of votes cast.

Fairfield

• Mayor: Kenneth Coachman (867 votes) and Johnnie Wyatt (444 votes) advanced to a runoff ahead of incumbent Michael Johnson (431 votes) and challengers Charles Willis, Jr (428 votes) and Gloria Matthews. In the runoff, Coachman secured 1,246 votes to Wyatt's 616.

• Council:
  • Council President: Incumbent Eldridge Turner (966 votes) and Darnell Gardner (813 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Howard Cook (440 votes) from the race. Turner edged by Gardner in the runoff 932 to 927.
  • District 1: Incumbent Frederick Scott (237 votes) held off challengers Marion Evans (134 votes) and Princess Kemp (64 votes)
  • District 2: Incumbent Vincent Smith (124 votes) held off challenger Primus Mack (89 votes)
  • District 3: Incumbent William Murray (162 votes) held off challengers Harry Lee (101 votes), Calvin Biggers (27 votes), and Dennis Devaris (3 votes)
  • District 4: Ronald Struthers (284 votes) defeated incumbent William Yow (208 votes)
  • District 5: Jerry Yarbrough (192 votes) won the open seat over Raymond Childs (109 votes), Larry Williams (32 votes), and Marvin Hill (21 votes)
  • District 6: Ves Marable (230 votes) defeated incumbent Willie Hardley, Jr (208 votes)

Fultondale

With no qualified challengers for the full slate of incumbents, Fultondale did not hold an election.

• Mayor: Incumbent Jim Lowery was unopposed.

• Council:
  • Incumbent Billy Howell was unopposed.
  • Incumbent Joe Bolton was unopposed.
  • Incumbent Darrell Hubbert was unopposed.
  • Incumbent Tommy Loden was unopposed.
  • Incumbent Greg Morris was unopposed.

Gardendale

• Mayor: Othell Phillips (1,988 votes) overcame a 228-vote deficit in the primary to win a runoff against Oscar Mann (1,286 votes). Mann had 1,257 to Phillips 1,029 in the primary. Also running in the 5-way race to replace retiring three-term mayor Kenny Clemmons were Jonathan Dunagan, Dennis Gamble and Matthew Wright.

• Council:
  • Ward 1: Incumbent Peggy Tumlin (256 votes, 53.8%) defeated challengers Courtney Cooper (38 votes), Tim Howell (33 votes), and Patt Smith (149 votes) in the general election.
  • Ward 2: Incumbent Gary Morris (363 votes, 51.8%) defeated Mike "Buckett" Burkett (338 votes) in the run-off after the two eliminated Tim Clayton and Jody Jones in the general election.
  • Ward 3: Alvin Currington (429 votes, 64.6%) defeated Lynn Dodson (235 votes) in the run-off after the two eliminated Jerome Cantrell and Tony Davis in the general election.
  • Ward 4: Faith Harper (354 votes, 60.3%) defeated incumbent Billy Flippo (206 votes), plus challengers Larry Gothard (10 votes) and Tommy Jett (17 votes) in the general election.
  • Ward 5: Incumbent Wendell Phillips (495 votes, 53.8%) defeated David Morris (425 votes) in the run-off after the two eliminated Chip Hallmark and Tim White in the general election.

Graysville

• Mayor: In the primary, incumbent Doug Brewer (369 votes) and challenger Randy Teeter (244 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Dorothy Hawthorne (169 votes). Brewer controlled the runoff 467 to 363 to win re-election.

• Council:
  • District 1: Anthony King ran unopposed.
  • District 2: Jill Kelley (85 votes) easily defeated James Fortenberry (14 votes)
  • District 3: Incumbent Bobby Brown (91 votes) and challenger Cyndi Summerlin Calhoun (52 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Greg Pridmore (47 votes). Brown won the runoff 121 to 88.
  • District 4: Challenger Wanda Nation (64 votes) defeated incumbent Steve Hardin (58 votes) in a narrowly-contested race.
  • District 5: Mary Sue Morgan (96 votes) and Bill Billits (75 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Sherrie Simmons (28 votes). Morgan won the runoff 125 to 88.
  • District 6: Incumbent Roy Linn, Jr ran unopposed.

Homewood

• Mayor: Scott McBrayer successfully challenged three-term incumbent Barry McCulley, winning 72 percent of the vote (1,964 to 769)
• Council:
  • Ward 1
    • Place 1: Anthony Smith (unopposed, certified July 28)
    • Place 2: Sam Scott defeated incumbent Thomas Hamner, Jr
  • Ward 2
    • Place 1: Allyn Krall (unopposed, certified July 28)
    • Place 2: Vance Moody (unopposed, certified July 28)
  • Ward 3
    • Place 1: J. J. Bischoff (unopposed, certified July 28)
    • Place 2: Walter Jones defeated Frank Martin
  • Ward 4
    • Place 1: Hunter Payne defeated incumbent Sam Brasseale
    • Place 2: David Hooks (unopposed, certified July 28)
  • Ward 5
    • Place 1: Jackie Langlow (unopposed, certified July 28)
    • Place 2: Allan Trippe (unopposed, certified July 28)

Hoover

• Mayor: Tony Petelos was unopposed for his second term.
• Council:
  • Place 1: Trey Lott was unopposed.
  • Place 2: Gene Smith III was unopposed.
  • Place 3: Mari Morrison was unopposed.
  • Place 4: Gary Ivey was unopposed.
  • Place 5: Jack Wright was unopposed.
  • Place 6: Brian Skelton was unopposed after Vyvette Isabelle withdrew.
  • Place 7: John Green III (1,058 votes) and Jimmie Brown (903 votes) earned runoff spots in the race to replace retiring Councilor Mike Natter. Rusty Creel finished third with 692 votes. George Davis withdrew from the race before the election. Green secured 1,411 votes in the runoff to Brown's 1,171.

Hueytown

• Mayor: Incumbent Delor Baumann ran unopposed.

• Council:
  • District 1: Incumbent Carole Marks ran unopposed.
  • District 2: Incumbent Michael Pickens ran unopposed.
  • District 3: Incumbent Phifer Crane ran unopposed.
  • District 4: Incumbent Philip Contorno ran unopposed.
  • District 5: Incumbent Ray Robertson (261 votes) held off a challenge by John Skates (182 votes).

Irondale

• Mayor: Incumbent Tommy Joe Alexander received 1,248 votes (60%) to keep the office without a runoff. He was challenged by former mayor David Krider (366 votes) and then-city councilors John Schoen (294 votes) and Joan Ratchford (159 votes).

• Council:

All council districts had open seats with no incumbents running for re-election:

• • District 1: James Stewart Jr (281 votes) defeated John London (123 votes).
  • District 2: Bob Saunders (180 votes) defeated Bobby Joe Wilson (110 votes).
  • District 3: Craig Sanderson (380 votes) defeated Pete Crye (332 votes).
  • District 4: Terry Bearden (226 votes) defeated Mark Peavy (126 votes).
  • District 5: Christopher Crews (165 votes) defeated Donna Pike (109 votes).

Kimberly

• Mayor: Ralph Lindsey (271 votes) defeated Brian Pharris (189 votes) for the seat vacated by six-term mayor Sam Maze.

• Council: Kimberly's Town Council is elected at-large:
  • Place 1: Craig Harris (329 votes) easily defeated incumbent Ric Chandler (106 votes)
  • Place 2: Brad Stark (339 votes) handily defeated incumbent Betty Goodwin (111 votes)
  • Place 3: Donna Smith Cude (323 votes) soundly defeated incumbent Herschel Suddeth (127 votes)
  • Place 4: Lowell Holland (316 votes) resoundingly defeated incumbent Diane Dake (132 votes)
  • Place 5: Bob Ellerbrock ran unopposed.

Leeds

• Mayor: Eric Patterson garnered 1,355 votes to defeat incumbent mayor Tac Whitfield (568 votes) and Councilor Carol Phillips (419 votes) without a runoff. The 2,436 votes cast in the election were a record for the city.

• Council:
  • District 1: Incumbent Kenneth Washington (290 votes) held off a challenge by Arthur Kell, Jr (62 votes)
  • District 2: Incumbent Ross Bartee (364) won a tight race against challenger Ron Westmoreland (354 votes)
  • District 3: Susan Carswell ran unopposed.
  • District 4: Charlotte Earnest ran unopposed.
  • District 5: Incumbent Cary Kennedy (187 votes) and challenger Johnny Kile (156 votes) advanced to a run-off, eliminating Devoris Ragland (118 votes). Kile went on to defeat Kennedy for the seat.

Lipscomb

• Mayor: Melanie Bouyer earned 203 of 355 votes cast to win the mayoral race without a runoff. Deborah Miller, the incumbent appointed by Governor Bob Riley to fill a vacancy, earned only 99 votes. Challengers Theodus Sanders and Bobby Lucas garnered 29 and 24 votes, respectively.

• Council:
  • District 1: Lillie Kennedy ran unopposed.
  • District 2: Incumbent Benny Ragland ran unopposed.
  • District 3: Tonja Baldwin ran unopposed.
  • District 4: Incumbent Brenda Renz ran unopposed.
  • District 5: Geraldine Hotzel (44 votes) and Frederick Newell (35 votes) advanced to a run-off, eliminating Melinda Richburg (14 votes).

Maytown

• Mayor: Incumbent Ann Goolsby ran unopposed.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Gwin Wilder ran unopposed.
  • Place 2: Charlotte Sparks ran unopposed.
  • Place 3: Incumbent Ramona Martin ran unopposed.
  • Place 4: Incumbent Willie Rowe ran unopposed.
  • Place 5: Incumbent Michael Wilder ran unopposed.

Midfield

• Mayor: Incumbent Gary Richardson (267 votes) held off a challenge by Richard Shows (42 votes) to earn re-election.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Incumbent Terry Adams ran unopposed.
  • Place 2: Incumbent Reggie Wilson ran unopposed.
  • Place 3: Incumbent Jimmie Robinson ran unopposed.
  • Place 4: Incumbent Janice Anderson ran unopposed.
  • Place 5: Incumbent Velma Johnson ran unopposed.

Morris

• Mayor: Incumbent Craig Drummonds (206 votes) successfully held of a challenge from Jay Strickland (155 votes)

• Council:
  • Place 1: Incumbent Clovis Laney ran unopposed.
  • Place 2: Incumbent Joe Pylant ran unopposed.
  • Place 3: Incumbent Ray Densomre ran unopposed.
  • Place 4: Lynn Posey Aguirre ran unopposed.
  • Place 5: Phillip Dillard ran unopposed.

Mulga

• Mayor: Incumbent Dennis McCrary (100 votes) held off challenges from Brenda Jordan (75 votes) and Johnny Lankford (6 votes).

• Council:
  • District 1: Michelle Randall (46 votes) handily defeated incumbent Debra Coe (14 votes)
  • District 2: Incumbent Joy Smith ran unopposed.
  • District 3: Susann Renee Adkins (10 votes) defeated incumbent Bonnie Varner Maharrey (8 votes) in light voting.
  • District 4: Incumbent Wayne Jones ran unopposed.
  • District 5: Kimberly Dye (26 votes) defeated Robyn Whatley (17 votes) and John Shore (5 votes).

Pinson

• Mayor: Incumbent Hoyt Sanders ran unopposed.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Incumbent Dawn Tanner (218 votes) successfully fended off the challenge from Michael Brad Walker (110 votes)
  • Place 2: Incumbent Joe Cochran ran unopposed.
  • Place 3: Incumbent Shane Shelnutt (152 votes) and challenger David Meadows (147 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Cathy Leslie (32 votes).
  • Place 4: Incumbent John Churchwell ran unopposed.
  • Place 5: Incumbent Joy Clayton ran unopposed.

Pleasant Grove

• Mayor: Incumbent Jerry Brasseale garnered 80% of the vote against challengers Ronald Capps, Roland "Joey" Douglas II and Veta Agee.
• Council:
  • Place 1: Incumbent Phillip Houston defeated challenger Clay Custred, with 88% of the vote.
  • Place 2: Incumbent James Mosley got 52% of the vote against challengers Gerald Davis and Angela Lewis.
  • Place 3: Terrie Hicks was unopposed.
  • Place 4: Incumbent Paula Johnson garnered 75% of the vote against challengers Jay Henson and Sherian Minor.
  • Place 5: William "Skeeter" Bullion was unopposed.

Sylvan Springs

• Mayor: Incumbent Stevan Parsons garnered 92% of the vote against challenger Johnny Carver.
• Council:
  • District 1: Charles Larry Smith (incumbent)
  • District 2: Tammy Jo Eaton Bousack (incumbent)
  • District 3: G. M. "Mike" Thompson (incumbent)
  • District 4: Dennis Brand (incumbent)
  • District 5: Rickey Jones (incumbent)

Tarrant

• Mayor: Incumbent Loxcil Tuck won 63% of the vote, easily defeating four challengers. Tarrant police officer Margaret Ingram led the rest of the pack with 33%. Michael Miller earned 35 votes. Tina Churchwell Ingram had five and Antwon Womack had four.

• Council:
  • District 1: Annette Dunner, incumbent Dennis Middlebrooks
  • District 2: Laura Horton
  • District 3: W. L. "Junior" Jenkins (incumbent),Randy Alden Manning, Patrice Williams
  • District 4: Incumbent Joe Matthews, George Allen Parker
  • District 5: John Tommy Bryant, Dell Marie Walker-Ellis

Trafford

• Mayor: Robert Niblett got 133 votes to Kenneth Sanders' 116 to win a runoff for mayor. Other challengers included Clint Daniels, Brenda Reno, and Otis Young.
• Council:
  • Place 1: William Motes, Jo Ann Niblett
  • Place 2: Micki Aaron, Tim Waddell
  • Place 3: Alan Camp (incumbent)
  • Place 4: Kim Young Hayes (incumbent)
  • Place 5: Corace Cole, Debra Little Miller

Trussville

• Mayor: Gene Melton won a fourth term as mayor, successfully defending his office from challenger Jim Robinson by a 2,202 to 1,198-vote margin (65%).

• Council:
  • Place 1: Wayne Quick, Wayne Tayor (incumbent)
  • Place 2: Buddy Aydelette (incumbent)
  • Place 3: Jonathan Barbee, Buddy Choat
  • Place 4: Rob Meadows, Brian Plant (incumbent)
  • Place 5: Wayne Davenport, Anthony Montalto, Susan Rochester

Vestavia Hills

• Mayor: Butch Zaragoza was certified as the mayor-elect after challenger Dan Calloway dropped out of the race on July 17. Scotty McCallum did not run for re-election.

• Council:
  • Place 1: Incumbent Mary Lee Rice ran unopposed.
  • Place 2: Incumbent Jim Sharp (1,861 votes) handily defeated challenger Don Harwell (806 votes).
  • Place 3: Steve Ammons (1,826 votes) defeated David Harwell (852 votes) for the open seat.
  • Place 4: George Pierce (1,446 votes) defeated Chris Pilleteri (1,187 votes) for the open seat.
  • Place 5: Incumbent David Carrington ran unopposed.

Warrior

• Mayor: Incumbent Rena Hudson (66%) defeated Oscar Turner (34%).
• Council:
  • District 1
    • Place 1: Jerry Bailey (incumbent) was unopposed.
    • Place 2: Brad Fuller (incumbent) (64%), defeated challenger Joel Washington.
    • Place 3: Theodore Hines (incumbent) was unopposed.
  • District 2
    • Place 1: James Jett (incumbent), defeated Cecil Wayne Bailey with 86% of the vote.
    • Place 2: Johnny Ragland (incumbent) was unopposed.

West Jefferson

• Mayor: Retired West Jefferson Utility Supervisor Charles Nix defeated Troy Ford (incumbent) with 64% of the vote.
• Council:
  • Place 1: John Michael Colburn (incumbent) defeated David Brasfield
  • Place 2: Aaron Edwards (incumbent), Larry Rollins, Peggy Davies
  • Place 3: Spencer Tuggle (incumbent) defeated Larry Davis
  • Place 4: Charles Wayne Hughes (incumbent) defeated Thomas Bruce Bookout
  • Place 5: Smokey Parker (incumbent) defeated William Bubba Grantham

References

• "Candidates seek municipal offices." (July 3, 2008) Birmingham News.
• Thornton, William (July 15, 2008) "Mountain Brook Mayor Terry Oden, 71, seeking fourth term." Birmingham News.
• Gordon, Robert K. (July 16, 2008) "Mayoral exits intriguing races in Jefferson, Shelby." Birmingham News.
• "Candidates seek municial offices." (July 16, 2008) Birmingham News.
• "Complete list of qualifiers for Aug. 26 municipal elections in Jefferson and Shelby counties" (July 16, 2008) AL.com. Accessed July 20, 2008.
• "Municipal election results database" (Aug. 26, 2008) AL.com. Accessed August 27, 2008.
• "City of Gardendale General Election Results." (n.d.) City of Gardendale. Accessed March 27, 2009.
• "City of Gardendale Runoff Election Results." (n.d.) City of Gardendale. Accessed March 27, 2009.