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Primary runoff preview: Alabama state executive official elections, 2014
July 14, 2014
| July 14, 2014 Election Review |
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MONTGOMERY, Alabama: Alabama voters faced seven contested state executive primary races this past June, three of which prompted runoffs: for secretary of state, state auditor and one seat on the public service commission.[1][2] Both secretary of state and state auditor seats are open in the 2014 electoral cycle. Meanwhile, incumbent Alabama Public Service Commissioner for Place 2 Terry Dunn not only failed to win a majority of the June 3 primary vote, he finished in second place behind challenger Chip Beeker. Beeker took 39% to Dunn's 33%. All three runoffs come from the Republican Party.
Alabama election law requires a candidate to earn a majority of the primary vote in order to automatically move on with their party's nomination. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the two candidates with the highest number of votes compete in a runoff, to take place on "Tuesday of the ninth week after the primary." This year, that falls on July 15, 2014.[3]
The secretary of state's office reported an expected voter turnout of five percent, or 2.9 million active voters. It could be lower, however, given the projection was based on turnouts from runoffs held during the last three presidential election years, when voter interest tends to exceed that seen in the midterms. Regardless of turnout, the runoffs will cost about $3 million in taxpayer money. At five percent, that would equal approximately one dollar per ballot cast.[4][5]
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Alabama uses an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[6][7][8]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Below, Ballotpedia has put together a preview of the primary runoffs.
Alabama Secretary of State
This seat is open in 2014 due to the terms of current incumbent Jim Bennett's appointment by Gov. Bentley in July 2013. Bentley was to serve out the remainder of former Secretary Beth Chapman's second term after Chapman resigned to take a job in the private sector. Having held the office in an official elected capacity in the past, Bennett returned to his old post knowing it was only temporary: He will leave it behind again on January 19, 2015, when Chapman's term was set to expire.[10]
Reese McKinney and John Merrill will compete in the runoff to decide which of the two Republican secretary of state hopefuls will join uncontested Democratic nominee Lula Albert-Kaigler.
The secretary of state is Alabama's chief election official and certifies vote totals, ballots and fundraising records. He or she is also responsible for business registration and keeping the state government's official documents and public records.
June 3 Republican Primary
| Alabama Secretary of State Republican Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
 John Merrill |
39.6% | 143,960 | ||
| Reese McKinney |
38.4% | 139,763 | ||
| James Perdue | 22% | 80,050 | ||
| Total Votes | 363,773 | |||
| Election results via Alabama Secretary of State. | ||||
Runoff Candidates
General Election Candidates
Alabama Auditor
Republican incumbent Samantha Shaw is ineligible for re-election due to term limits.
Dale Peterson (Alabama) and Jim Zeigler are vying to be the Republican nominee for state auditor. The runoff winner will face Miranda Joseph in November for a shot at replacing Shaw. The Alabama Auditor leads the office's performance of post audits between the state's other financial agencies, the State Treasury and the Comptroller’s Office, in addition to serving as Chairperson on the Board of Adjustments.
June 3 Republican Primary Results
| Alabama Auditor Republican Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Jim Zeigler |
47.1% | 164,002 | ||
| Dale Peterson |
24.3% | 84,828 | ||
| Adam Thompson | 18.6% | 64,688 | ||
| Hobbie Sealy | 10% | 34,910 | ||
| Total Votes | 348,428 | |||
| Election results via Alabama Secretary of State. | ||||
Runoff Candidates
Dale Peterson (Alabama)
Jim Zeigler
General Election Candidates
Alabama Public Service Commissioner (Place 2)
Incumbent Alabama Public Service Commissioner for Place 2 Terry Dunn not only failed to win a majority of the June 3 primary vote, he finished in second place behind challenger Chip Beeker. With no viable candidates in the race from the Democratic Party or otherwise, whoever wins the GOP runoff will sail through the general election.
Commissioners supervise and regulate the state's electricity, gas, water, railroad, and telecommunications companies. Additionally, they supervise transportation companies operating toll bridges, ferries, or roads. The Commission's mission is "To ensure a regulatory balance between regulated companies and consumers in order to provide consumers with safe, adequate and reliable services at rates that are equitable and economical."[11]
June 3 Republican Primary
| Alabama Public Service Commission, Position 2, Republican Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Chip Beeker |
39% | 133,606 | ||
| Terry Dunn Incumbent |
32.5% | 111,404 | ||
| Jonathan Barbee | 15.9% | 54,341 | ||
| Phillip Brown | 12.6% | 43,097 | ||
| Total Votes | 342,448 | |||
| Election results via Alabama Secretary of State. | ||||
Runoff Candidates
Chip Beeker
Terry Dunn - Incumbent
See also
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- Alabama elections, 2014
- Alabama secretary of state election, 2014
- Alabama down ballot state executive elections, 2014
Footnotes
- ↑ Alabama Republican Party, "2014 Qualified State Republican Candidates," accessed February 10, 2014
- ↑ Alabama Democratic Party, "2014 Primary Candidate List," February 7, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Primary Runoffs," May 12, 2014
- ↑ The Gadsen Times, "Things to know about Alabama's runoff election," July 14, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ wtok.com, "Alabama Taxpayers to Spend Big on Runoff Election," July 12, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "Alabama Code § 17-13-1," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "Alabama Code § 17-3-30," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Title 17, Chapter 9, Section 6," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ WSFA.com, "Governor Bentley appoints Jim Bennett as Secretary of State," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Alabama Public Service Commission, "Mission & History, accessed April 24, 2011
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