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Alabama Supreme Court elections, 2016
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Three seats on the Alabama Supreme Court were on the general election ballot on November 8, 2016. A primary was held on March 1.
Justice Kelli Wise (R), Justice Michael Bolin (R), and Justice Tom Parker (R) held the seats heading into the election. All nine seats on the court were held by Republicans prior to the election. Each justice elected to the court serves a six-year term.
Only Place 3, held by Tom Parker, was contested in the 2016 election cycle. This was a primary challenge between two Republicans; the seat was not contested in the general election. This means that the Alabama Supreme Court continued to comprise only Republican members after the 2016 elections.
General election candidates
Place 1
■ Michael Bolin (R) 
(Incumbent/Unopposed)
Place 2
■ Kelli Wise (R) (Incumbent/Unopposed)
Place 3
■ Tom Parker (R) (Incumbent/Unopposed)
Election results
March 1 primary
| Alabama Supreme Court, Place 3, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Tom Parker Incumbent |
72.50% | 448,747 | |
| Republican | Donna Beaulieu | 27.50% | 170,194 | |
| Total Votes (100% Reporting) | 618,941 | |||
| Source: Alabama Secretary of State Certified Results | ||||
November 8 general election
| Alabama Supreme Court, Place 1, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Michael Bolin Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Alabama Supreme Court, Place 2, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Kelli Wise Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Political composition
Alabama's supreme court justices are elected in partisan elections. Heading into the 2016 election, the court was held by a 9-0 majority of Republican justices.
Current justices
Chief Justice Roy Moore
Justice Lyn Stuart
Justice Michael Bolin
Justice Tom Parker
Justice Glenn Murdock
Justice Greg Shaw
Justice Kelli Wise
Justice Tommy Bryan
James Allen Main
Selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Alabama
All justices on the Alabama Supreme Court are elected for six-year terms in partisan elections.[1] The court consists of eight associate justices and one chief justice. Vacancies, which can occur when a judge dies, resigns, retires or is removed from office, are filled through appointments by the governor of Alabama. The justice must run for the seat in the general election at least one year after being appointed.[1]
Qualifications
To be considered a candidate for the supreme court, the person must:
- Be licensed to practice law in Alabama.
- Have lived in Alabama for at least one year.
- Be 70 years of age or younger at the time of candidacy.[2]
Chief justice
The Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court is elected by popular vote.[3]
State profile
| Demographic data for Alabama | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 4,853,875 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 50,645 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 68.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 26.4% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.2% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 1.7% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 84.3% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 23.5% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $43,623 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 23.3% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Alabama. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Alabama
Alabama voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Alabama coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Alabama
- United States congressional delegations from Alabama
- Public policy in Alabama
- Endorsers in Alabama
- Alabama fact checks
- More...
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Alabama Supreme Court election 2016' OR 'Alabama Supreme Court'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
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Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama
State courts:
Alabama Supreme Court • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals • Alabama Circuit Courts • Alabama District Courts • Alabama Juvenile Courts • Alabama Municipal Courts • Alabama Probate Courts • Alabama Small Claims Courts
State resources:
Courts in Alabama • Alabama judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alabama
