2009 Birmingham municipal election

The 2009 Birmingham City Council election was held on August 25, 2009, with a runoff schheduled for October 6. The ballot also included Birmingham Board of Education elections.

The council voted on March to change the election date to August from October 13 after being advised by city attorney Lawrence Cooper that more than the usual three weeks would be needed between the election and any runoffs in order to meet the requirements of the federal "Help America to Vote" act. Cooper's office waited until May 7 before applying to the U. S. Department of Justice for approval of the new schedule. A decision was returned on June 20, just days before it would have been too late to make the change. In order to appear on the ballot, candidates had to file qualification papers at the Jefferson County Probate Court by 5:00 PM on August 4.

Polling locations were changed for this election after the passage of Act No. 2008-416, sponsored by Mary Moore in the Alabama Legislature. Under the new law voters report to the same locations as for statewide elections, necessitating that some precincts distribute more than one ballot depending on the individual voter's council district.

Due to its debt crisis, Jefferson County informed the city that it would be unable to deliver and test voting machines to the city's 78 voting precincts. The city plans to use its own workers to deliver and set up the machines. In addition the city will reimburse the county $118,000 for other election-related expenses.

In the August 25 election (on a mostly sunny day with a high of 89°F), 27,233 votes were cast from a pool of 135,156 registered voters (20.1% turnout).

Campaigning and endorsements

A forum for all candidates, split into three sessions, was held August 11-13 at the Linn-Henley Research Library, sponsored by the NAACP Birmingham-Metro Chapter and the League of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham. During the runoff campaign the NAACP sponsored another round of debates at various locations, rebroadcast on a Bright House Networks local-access channel.

Mayor Larry Langford planned to endorse a slate of candidates, but later reversed himself, asking voters to make up their own minds. Former mayor Richard Arrington, Jr, through the New Jefferson County Citizens Coalition, endorsed Joel Montgomery, Rolanda Hollis, Maxine Parker, Charlie Williams, Sheila Tyson, James Roberson, Gerri Robinson and James Williams for the Council and Keith Rice, Virginia Volker, Edward Maddox, Emanuel Ford, Ervin Hill, Alana Edwards, Patricia Humes and David Merrida for Board of Education. The group did not make endorsements for District 3. Former mayoral candidate Patrick Cooper has advised some challengers, but has not publicly supported a slate of candidates.

The Jefferson County Progressive Democratic Council endorsed Chris Cummings, Lawrence Conaway, Valerie Abbott, Maxine Parker, Elias Hendricks, Carole Smitherman, Ernestine Williams, Steven Hoyt and Roderick Royal for Council and Tyrone Belcher, Virginia Volker, Bob Friedman, Carolyn Cobb, Dannetta K. Thornton Owens, Willie Maye, Odessa Ashley, Patricia Humes and Phyllis Wyne for the Board of Education.

The Central Alabama Labor Federation endorsed Lashunda Scales, Carol Duncan, Valerie Abbott, Maxine Parker, Charlie Williams, Carole Smitherman, Percy McGowan, Gerri Robinson and James Williams for City Council and Tyrone Belcher, Virginia Volker, Bob Friedman, Carolyn Cobb, Dannetta K. Thornton Owens, and April Williams for Board of Education.

The Birmingham News endorsed Chris Cummings, Lawrence Conaway, Valerie Abbott, Maxine Parker, Elias Hendricks, Carole Smitherman, Jay Roberson, Steven Hoyt and Roderick Royal for City Council and Keith Rice, Virginia Volker, Brian Giattina, Edward Maddox, Dannetta K. Thornton Owens, Gwendolyn Bell, Charles Benjamin, Patricia Humes and Phyllis Wyne for Board of Education.

Candidates/Results

City Council

District 1 Lashunda Scales, 1724 votes, 51.4% Chris Cummings, 971 votes, 28.9% Joel Montgomery (incumbent), 361 votes, 10.8% Betty Corona, 126 votes, 3.8% Roderick Jackson, 120 votes, 3.6% Brandon McCray, 54 votes, 1.6% District 2 Kim Rafferty, 815 votes, 28.5% (416 votes in runoff) Carol Duncan (incumbent) 775 votes, 27.0% (runoff) Rolanda Hollis, 441 votes, 15.4% Lawrence Conaway, 419 votes, 14.6% Alvin Rutledge, 232 votes, 8.1% Rodney Huntley, 107 votes, 3.7% Treshia Coleman, 73 votes, 2.5% District 3 Valerie Abbott (incumbent), 2329 votes, 60.0% Howard Bayless, 1462 votes, 37.6% Wil Jones, 93 votes, 2.4% District 4 Maxine Parker (incumbent), 1347 votes, 69.5% Earnest Lumpkin, 249 votes, 12.8% Robert Walker, 247 votes, 12.7% Ondray Agee, 96 votes, 5.0%

District 5 Johnathan Austin (incumbent), 616 votes, 28.1% (887 votes in runoff) Elias Hendricks, 751 votes, 30.2% (824 votes in runoff) Charlie Williams, Jr, 467 votes, 21.3% Shirley Gavin Floyd, 222 votes, 10.1% Brandon Davis, 117 votes, 5.3% Demus Copeland, 16 votes, 0.7% District 6 Carole Smitherman (incumbent), 1569 votes, 43.2% (runoff) Sheila Tyson, 1423 votes, 39.2% (runoff) Samuel Wiggins, 478 votes, 13.2% Keith Aaron, 136 votes, 3.7% Willis Hendrix, 25 votes, 0.7% District 7 Jay Roberson, 1582 votes, 45.4% (runoff) Ernestine Williams, 929 votes, 26.7% (runoff) Willie Florence, 363 votes, 10.4% Walter Wilson, 209 votes, 6.0% Chiquita Holloway, 170 votes, 4.9% Angela Wells, 169 votes, 4.9% Percy McGowan, 61 votes, 1.8% District 8 Steven Hoyt (incumbent), 1446 votes, 55.3% Gerri Robinson, 1167 votes, 44.7% District 9 Roderick Royal (incumbent), 1265 votes, 40.7% (runoff, 55.6%) Leroy Bandy, 558 votes, 17.9% (runoff) William Barnes, 492 votes, 15.8% James Williams, 405 votes, 13.0% David Russell, 239 votes, 7.7% Marcia Starks, 151 votes, 4.9%

Board of Education

District 1 Tyrone Belcher, 1607 votes, 51.3% Keith Rice, 1523 votes, 48.7% District 2 Virginia Volker (incumbent), 1876 votes, 68.1% Robert Carter, 879 votes, 31.9% District 3 Brian Giattina, 1761 votes, 45.9% (runoff) Elisa Burns-Macon, 1025 votes, 26.7% (runoff) Randall Woodfin, 678 votes, 17.7% Bob Friedman, 371 votes, 9.7% District 4 Edward Maddox, 950 votes, 49.2% (runoff) Carolyn Cobb (incumbent), 725 votes, 37.6% (runoff) Gwen Sykes, 255 votes, 13.2% District 5 Emanuel Ford, 1052 votes, 51.1% Dannetta K. Thornton Owens (incumbent), 1005 votes, 48.9%

District 6 Willie Maye, Jr (incumbent), 1358 votes, 38.9% (runoff) Gwendolyn Bell, 1150 votes, 32.9% (runoff) Ervin Hill, 774 votes, 22.2% Antwon Womack, 117 votes, 3.4% Joe Bridges, Jr, 93 votes, 2.7% District 7 Odessa Ashley (incumbent), 1296 votes, 38.7% (runoff) Alana Edwards, 1080 votes, 32.2% Charles Benjamin, 969 votes, 29.0% District 8 April Williams (incumbent), 1566 votes, 61.5% Patricia Humes, 979 votes, 38.5% District 9 Phyllis Wyne (incumbent), 1628 votes, 54.9% David Merrida, 1340 votes, 45.1%

References

• Natta, André (November 18, 2008) "Let the 2009 city council races begin." The Terminal
• Lewis, Jessie (March 11, 2009) "One Man's Opinion"
• Kennedy, Joey (March 19, 2009) "Will there be new faces on the Birmingham City Council?" Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (March 23, 2009) "Incumbents, challengers gear up for August City Council elections in Birmingham." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (June 16, 2009) "Birmingham city election date still unsettled, week remains until early date possibility dies." Birmingham News
• Williams, Roy L. (June 21, 2009) "Justice Department approves Birmingham officials' request to move election to Aug. 25." Birmingham News
• Ruisi, Anne (July 6, 2009) "Birmingham, Alabama city council, school board have candidates qualifying." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (July 12, 2009) "Birmingham City Council race rivals Carole Smitherman, Sheila Tyson skirmish in radio ads." Birmingham News
• Ruisi, Anne (July 25, 2009) "Number of Birmingham, Alabama council, school board election qualifiers swells to 52." Birmingham News
• Wright, Barnett & Joseph Bryant (July 27, 2009) "Jefferson County tells Birmingham it will limit support for Aug. 25 council, school board elections." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (August 4, 2009) "New polling places in store for upcoming Birmingham elections." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (August 10, 2009) "Langford, Arrington, Cooper play role in upcoming Birmingham city elections." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (August 18, 2009) "Former mayor's citizens group announces picks in Birmingham election." Birmingham News
• "Tumultuous time likely ahead as voters go to polls to elect Birmingham City Council." editorial (August 23, 2009) Birmingham News
• "In this crucial time for city schools, voters must choose school board members dedicated to transparency and community." editorial (August 23, 2009) Birmingham News
• Spencer, Thomas (August 26, 2009) "Low voter turnout for city elections." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (August 27, 2009) "Birmingham candidates seek bigger turnout for Oct. 6 runoff vote." Birmingham News
• Bryant, Joseph D. (October 2, 2009) "Birmingham City Council District 6 race is most expensive to date." Birmingham News

External links

• election guide at al.com
• election day Q&A at al.com
• addresses of poll locations at Birminghamal.gov
• poll locations via GIS at Birminghamal.gov