2008 Shelby County municipal elections

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

To see other Birmingham-area municipalities participating in the state-wide elections, see 2008 municipal elections.

Alabaster

• Mayor: Incumbent David Frings earned 1,826 votes (56%) to keep his seat in a race against three challengers. Marty Handlon finished second with 1,352 votes (41%). Kevin Giles (57 votes) and Larry Martin (43 votes) rounded out the field.

• Council:
  • Ward 1: Sophie Martin (280 votes) defeated incumbent Jerry Workman (228 votes).
  • Ward 2: Incumbent Bob Hicks ran unopposed.
  • Ward 3: Adam Moseley ran unopposed.
  • Ward 4: Incumbent Rick Watters ran unopposed.
  • Ward 5: Incumbent Jim McClain (375 votes) held off challenger Don Botta (230 votes).
  • Ward 6: Scott Brakefield (303 votes) defeated Barbara Gore (136 votes).
  • Ward 7: Incumbent Tommy Ryals ran unopposed.

Calera

• Mayor: In the race to replace retiring mayor Roy George, Jon Graham (793 votes) and Bobby Joe Phillips (532 votes) advanced to a runoff. Hank Lucas (272 votes) and Joey Widman (174) votes were the also-rans. George endorsed Phillips in the race.

• Council:
  • District 1: Chris Bunn, Jerry Davis (incumbent)
  • District 2: Ernest Montgomery (incumbent), Eric Snyder
  • District 3: Brian Latham
  • District 4: Susan Alexander, David Bradshaw (incumbent), Darrell Fixler, Brad Frasure
  • District 5: Brent Burgess, Mike Robertson (incumbent), Alan Watts

Chelsea

• Mayor: Three-term incumbent Earl Niven coasted to a fourth term with 842 votes (54%) over challenger David Birdson (705 votes, 46%).

• Council:
  • Place 1: Ricky King ran unnopposed.
  • Place 2: Incumbent Tony Picklesimer (838 votes) held off challenger Cammie Sanders (670 votes).
  • Place 3: Robert Barnes (810 votes) defeated incumbent James Ferguson (610 votes).
  • Place 4: Incumbent Jeffrey Denton (761 votes) held off challenger Keith Roberts (692 votes).
  • Place 5: Incumbent Juanita Champion ran unopposed.

Columbiana

• Mayor: Incumbent Allan Lowe garnered the most votes (469) with Gregg Rushton coming in second with 430. Depending on which of 28 provisional ballots are counted, Lowe could avoid a runoff. Three-term councilman Danny Kelley took 78 votes.

• Council:
  • District 1: Incumbent Frieda Abrams (76 votes) held off challenger Lesley Whiting (64 votes).
  • District 2: Stancil Handley (105 votes) defeated Vickie McNeal Mizzell (41 votes) for the seat vacated by Kelley.
  • District 3: Jim Strickland (102 votes) and Brian Stevens (72 votes) advanced to a runoff ahead of Ann Sauers (52 votes) and Bruce Fryer (36 votes).
  • District 4: Incumbent Tom Seale (160 votes) held off challenger Dee Dill (53 votes).
  • District 5: Incumbent Ouida Mayfield (115 votes) held off challengers Stoney Glenn (54 votes) and Phillip Willis (49 votes).

Harpersville

• Mayor:
• Council:

Helena

• Mayor:
• Council:

Montevallo

• Mayor: Ben McCrory (317 votes) and Steve Sears (311 votes) advanced to a runoff in the race to replace retiring mayor Sharon Anderson. Former three-term mayor of Alabaster Roger Wheeler lost with 221 votes.

• Council:
  • District 1: Rusty Nix (163 votes) and Patrick Draper (131 votes) advanced to a runoff, leaving Tami Pickett (50 votes) behind.
  • District 2: Incumbent Willie Goldsmith ran unopposed.
  • District 3: Incumbent Greg Pendleton ran unopposed.
  • District 4: Incumbent Hollie Cost (95 votes) held off the challenge of Randall Scott (36 votes) to keep her seat.
  • District 5: Dee Woodham ran unopposed.

Pelham

• Mayor: Gary Waters (1,081 votes) and Don Murphy (742 votes) advanced to a runoff for the office being vacated by long-time mayor Bobby Hayes, who endorsed Waters. Jim Phillips (554 votes) , Jim Martin (136 votes), and Tim Spinosi (72 votes) also ran.

• Council:
  • District 1: Incumbent Rosemary Metcalf (984 votes) just barely earned a runoff spot with challenger Teresa Nichols (1,225 votes). Charlie Adams (252 votes) also ran.
  • District 2: Incumbent Michael Dickens (1,187 votes) faces challenger Willard Payne (951 votes) in a runoff. Robert Farmer (312 votes) also ran.
  • District 3: Beth McMillan (781 votes) and Ben Burger (592 votes) advanced to a runoff, eliminating Ralph Honeycutt (330 votes)
  • District 4: Steve Powell (1,412 votes) defeated Paul Contorno (1,019 votes)
  • District 5: Incumbent Karyl Rice (1,027 votes) faces challenger Bob Sullivan (892 votes) in a runoff. Maurice Mercer (504 votes) also ran.

Vincent

• Mayor: Ernest Kidd, Jr
• Council:
  • District 1: Larry King
  • District 3: Johnny Edwards
  • District 5: Mary Lee Reynolds

Wilsonville

• Mayor: Rosemary Liveoak, Don Davis
• Council (at large): E. L. McCarty, Stephanie Roullier

Wilton

• Mayor: Incumbent Joe Fancher, Jo Ann Hamm, Mickey Henson
• Council:
  • District 1: Cassie Nathews
  • District 2: Hubert Lucas (incumbent)
  • District 3: Jessica Smitherman Martin
  • District 4: Carol Wisor (incumbent)
  • District 5: Deborah Hudson (incumbent), Judith Winslett

References

• "Candidates seek municipal offices" (July 3, 2008). Birmingham News.
• Gordon, Robert K. (July 16, 2008). "Mayoral exits intriguing races in Jefferson, Shelby." Birmingham News.
• "Candidates seek municipal offices" (July 16, 2008). Birmingham News.
• "Election Results from Tuesday" (August 26, 2008). ShelbyCountyReporter.com. Accessed August 27, 2008.