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Alabama state executive official elections, 2012
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Alabama's 2012 elections U.S. House • Other executive offices • State ballot measures • Candidate ballot access |
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| Alabama Public Service Commission |
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March 13, 2012 |
November 6, 2012 |
| State executive official elections in 2012 |
One state executive position was up for election in 2012 in the state of Alabama.
- Alabama Public Service Commission President
The general election took place on November 6, 2012, following a primary election on March 13th and primary runoff on April 24, 2012.
Incumbent Lucy Baxley was first elected PSC President in 2008, defeating fellow commissioner Twinkle Cavanaugh (R). In 2012, Cavanaugh faced Baxley in a rematch and won the general election. Baxley was the former lieutenant governor and state treasurer of Alabama. In 2012, she was the only Democrat holding statewide office going into the election. Cavanaugh was elected to the commission in 2010.
Both candidates stated that they wanted to keep electric rates low and stable for state residents by maintaining active communication with Alabama’s major utilities and PSC staff, while Cavanaugh also expressed interest in expanding the responsibilities of the PSC President. Her campaign highlighted her desire to make the office a leader in job creation and economic development. Cavanaugh, who previously served as Alabama Republican Party chairwoman, argued that Baxley’s allegiance to President Obama and the Democratic Party indicated that the incumbent was less qualified to tackle the state’s economic challenges, particularly regarding economic stagnation.[1] Baxley stated that her challenger’s plan to use the position to promote job creation was misguided and could create tension with the governor and the state’s Department of Commerce, who might view the commission’s increased role in jobs as “just trying to cash in on their good news.”[1]
The Alabama PSC’s authority is limited to overseeing electric and gas utilities, as a 2005 deregulation law, along with the rise of cellular phones, significantly curtailed the agency’s influence and its capacity to increase rates.[1]
General
Democratic incumbent Lucy Baxley was defeated by fellow member of the PSC Twinkle Cavanaugh (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.
- November 6 General election candidates:
Lucy Baxley Incumbent
Twinkle Cavanaugh 
| Alabama Public Service Commission President General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Twinkle Cavanaugh |
54.2% | 1,078,108 | |
| Democratic | Lucy Baxley Incumbent | 45.8% | 909,323 | |
| Total Votes | 1,987,431 | |||
| Election results via Alabama Secretary of State | ||||
Primary
The primary was held on March 13. Incumbent Lucy Baxley (D) ran for re-election as President of the Alabama Public Service Commission and faced no opposition in the primary. Three Republicans faced off for their party's nomination.
- March 13 Democratic primary candidates:
- Lucy Baxley
Incumbent Baxley was first elected in 2008.
- Lucy Baxley
- March 13 GOP primary candidates:
- Twinkle Cavanaugh - At the time of the election, Cavanaugh was a member of the Public Service Commission. She was first elected in 2010.
- Kathy Peterson
- Chip Brown
- Twinkle Cavanaugh
Since no candidate secured over 50 percent of the vote, the top-two vote getters - Twinkle Cavanaugh and Chip Brown - headed to a runoff election on April 24.[2]
| Alabama Public Service Commission President - Republican Primary, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Twinkle Cavanaugh |
48.9% | 248,297 | ||
| Chip Brown |
26.7% | 135,568 | ||
| Kathy Peterson | 24.4% | 123,729 | ||
| Total Votes | 507,594 | |||
| Election results via The Alabama Secretary of State. | ||||
In the primary runoff, Cavanaugh defeated Brown.[3]
| Alabama Public Service Commission President - Republican Primary Runoff, 2012 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Twinkle Cavanaugh |
60.8% | 52,371 |
| Chip Brown | 39.2% | 33,734 |
| Total Votes | 86,105 | |
Campaign advertisements
Key deadlines
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan 13 | Signature filing deadline |
| March 2 | Voter registration deadline for primary |
| March 8 | Last day to apply for an absentee ballot for primary |
| March 12 | Last day to hand deliver or postmark an absentee ballot for primary |
| March 13 | Primary election |
| April 13 | Voter registration deadline for primary runoff |
| April 19 | Last day to apply for an absentee ballot for primary runoff |
| April 23 | Last day to hand deliver or postmark in absentee ballot for primary runoff |
| April 24 | Primary runoff election (if necessary) |
| Oct 26 | Voter registration deadline for general election |
| Nov 1 | Last day to apply for an absentee ballot for general |
| Nov 5 | Last day to hand deliver or postmark and absentee ballot for general |
| Nov 6 | General election |
Election history
- 2008 General Election
- Baxley won election in the November 2008 election, defeating Republican candidate Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh.[4]
| Alabama Public Service Commission President, 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Lucy Baxley |
50.3% | 1,014,091 | |
| Republican | Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh | 49.6% | 1,001,643 | |
| Total Votes | 2,017,933 | |||
See also
- Alabama Public Service Commission
- Statewide elections, 2012
- State executive official elections, 2012
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Montgomery Advisor, "Baxley, Cavanaugh meet in PSC presidency rematch," October 14, 2012
- ↑ Gadsden Times, "PSC president primary race headed for runoff," March 14, 2012
- ↑ WSFA.com, "Alabama runoff election results," accessed April 24, 2012
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "November 2008 General Election Results," accessed March 25, 2011 (Pg. 13)
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