Kay Ivey

Kay Ivey (Republican Party) is the Governor of Alabama. She assumed office on April 10, 2017. Her current term ends on January 18, 2027.

Ivey was born in Camden, Alabama, on October 15, 1944. She graduated from Auburn University in 1967 with a degree in secondary education. While there, she served as a campaign coordinator among the student body for Lurleen Wallace's (D) campaign for governor.^[1] After graduating, she worked as a high school teacher and as a bank officer. She also worked as an assistant director of the Alabama Development Office, as a reading clerk in the Alabama House of Representatives, and as director of government affairs for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.^[2]^[3]

In 2002, Ivey ran for treasurer. She won and was the first Republican elected to the position since Reconstruction. In 2006, she was re-elected.^[4] Ivey first ran for governor in 2010 but switched to the lieutenant gubernatorial election before the primary.^[5] She was elected lieutenant governor that year and re-elected in 2014, becoming the first Republican to win two back-to-back terms as lieutenant governor.

Ivey became governor on April 10, 2017, after Gov. Robert Bentley (R) resigned after pleading guilty to two campaign finance misdemeanors.^[6]^[7] Ivey said, "Today is both a dark day for Alabama yet also one of opportunity. I ask for your help and patience as we together steady the Ship of State and improve Alabama’s image. Those are my first priorities as your 54th Governor."^[8] Ivey won election to a full term in 2018, defeating Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox (D) 59.5%-40.4%. Ivey won re-election in 2022, defeating Yolanda Flowers (D) 66.9%-29.2%.

Montgomery Advisor's Brian Lyman said during her first term, Ivey "took the lead on a $1.3 billion project to build new prisons in the state, partly as a response to rampant violence in Alabama state prisons that has led to a federal lawsuit...Ivey also served as the public face of the state’s response to the COVID outbreak and kept masking requirements in place longer than other southern Republican governors chose to do."^[9] In discussing her decision to keep masking guidelines in place, she said, "Now y'all, I’m not trying to be Governor Meemaw as some on social media have called me...I’m simply trying to urge you to use the common sense the Good Lord gave each of us to be smart and considerate of others."^[10] Additionally, Ivey signed a bill which banned curbside voting, a bill which made it illegal to vote in an election more than once, and a bill which legalized medical marijuana in the state.^[11]^[12]^[13]

In 2024, Ivey signed a law that kept in-vitro fertilization legally protected after the state supreme court issued a ruling that could have affected the procedure's legal status.^[14] She said of the bill, "IVF is a complex issue, no doubt, and I anticipate there will be more work to come, but right now, I am confident that this legislation will provide the assurances our IVF clinics need and will lead them to resume services immediately."^[15] Also during her second term, Ivey signed a bill which allowed parents to receive up to $7,000 to pay for education expenses, a bill that intended to limit the use of public funds for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and a bill which banned ranked-choice voting in Alabama.^[16]^[17]

Biography

Ivey was born in Camden, Alabama, on October 15, 1944. She earned a degree in secondary education from Auburn University in 1967. After teaching high school in California for a few years, Ivey returned to Alabama and began working at the Merchants National Bank.^[18]

She entered politics in 1979, working for Alabama Gov. Forrest James (D) as an executive assistant for social services and an assistant director of the Alabama Development Office. Prior to holding public office, she also worked as a reading clerk for the Alabama House of Representatives and as a director of government affairs and communications for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.^[18]

Elections

2022

General election

General election for Governor of Alabama

Incumbent Kay Ivey defeated Yolanda Flowers, James Blake, and Jared Budlong in the general election for Governor of Alabama on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Kay Ivey (R)	66.9	946,932
	Yolanda Flowers (D)	29.2	412,961
	James Blake (L)	3.2	45,958
	Jared Budlong (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	0
	Other/Write-in votes	0.7	9,432

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,415,283
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Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for Governor of Alabama

Yolanda Flowers defeated Malika Sanders-Fortier in the Democratic primary runoff for Governor of Alabama on June 21, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Yolanda Flowers	55.1	32,529
	Malika Sanders-Fortier	44.9	26,469

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 58,998
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Alabama

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Alabama on May 24, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Yolanda Flowers	33.9	56,991
✔	Malika Sanders-Fortier	32.5	54,699
	Patricia Jamieson	11.7	19,691
	Arthur Kennedy	9.3	15,630
	Doug Smith	7.1	11,861
	Chad Chig Martin	5.6	9,352

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 168,224
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Christopher Countryman (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Alabama

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Alabama on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kay Ivey	54.5	357,069
		Lynda Blanchard	19.2	126,202
		Tim James	16.2	106,181
		Lew Burdette	6.5	42,924
		Dean Odle	1.8	11,767
	Submit photo	Donald Jones	0.6	3,821
	Submit photo	Dave Thomas	0.4	2,886
		Stacy George	0.4	2,546
		Dean Young	0.4	2,356

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 655,752
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Jim Zeigler (R)