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==Biography==
==Biography==

Latest revision as of 14:48, 5 November 2025

Rodger Smitherman
Candidate, Alabama State Senate District 18
Alabama State Senate District 18
Tenure
1994 - Present
Term ends
2026
Years in position
31
Compensation
Base salary
$62,212/year
Per diem
No per diem is paid to legislators whose permanent residence is less than six hours away. The daily rate is $12.75 for 6–12 hour trips and $34 for non-overnight trips over 12 hours. Overnight per diem is $85 for one night or $100 per day for two or more nights.
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 8, 2022
Next election
November 3, 2026
Education
Bachelor's
University of Montevallo
Law
Miles Law School
Personal
Religion
Christian: Presbyterian
Profession
Attorney
Contact

Rodger Smitherman (Democratic Party) is a member of the Alabama State Senate, representing District 18. He assumed office in 1994. His current term ends on November 4, 2026.

Smitherman (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the Alabama State Senate to represent District 18. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]

Biography

Smitherman earned his B.B.A. from the University of Montevallo and his J.D. from Miles Law School.

Committee assignments

2025-2026

Smitherman was assigned to the following committees:

2023-2024

Smitherman was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Smitherman was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Smitherman was assigned to the following committees:

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Smitherman served on the following committees:

Alabama committee assignments, 2015
Confirmations
Constitution, Ethics and Elections
Finance and Taxation Education
Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development
Judiciary
Jefferson County Legislation
Rules

2011-2012

Smitherman served on these committees in the 2011-2012 legislative session:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2026

See also: Alabama State Senate elections, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Alabama State Senate District 18

Incumbent Rodger Smitherman is running in the general election for Alabama State Senate District 18 on November 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Rodger Smitherman
Rodger Smitherman (D)

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Endorsements

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2022

See also: Alabama State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Alabama State Senate District 18

Incumbent Rodger Smitherman won election in the general election for Alabama State Senate District 18 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Rodger Smitherman
Rodger Smitherman (D)
 
98.8
 
28,642
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.2
 
355

Total votes: 28,997
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Rodger Smitherman advanced from the Democratic primary for Alabama State Senate District 18.

2018

See also: Alabama State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for Alabama State Senate District 18

Incumbent Rodger Smitherman won election in the general election for Alabama State Senate District 18 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Rodger Smitherman
Rodger Smitherman (D)
 
98.4
 
39,819
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.6
 
668

Total votes: 40,487
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Alabama State Senate District 18

Incumbent Rodger Smitherman advanced from the Democratic primary for Alabama State Senate District 18 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
Image of Rodger Smitherman
Rodger Smitherman

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2014

See also: Alabama State Senate elections, 2014

Elections for the Alabama State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014; a runoff election took place where necessary on July 15, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2014. Incumbent Rodger Smitherman was unopposed in the Democratic primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[1][2][3][4]

2010

See also: Alabama State Senate elections, 2010

Smitherman ran for re-election to the District 18 seat in 2010. He defeated Fred Horn in the primary, receiving 7,719 votes to Horn's 3,083. He then faced no opposition in the November 2 general election.[5][6]

Alabama State Senate, District 18 Democratic Primary (2010)
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Rodger Smitherman (D) 7,719
Fred Horn (D) 3,083

2006

See also: Alabama State Senate elections, 2006

On November 7, 2006, Smitherman won re-election to the 18th District Seat in the Alabama State Senate, defeating opponent Nance Stanley (R).[7]

Alabama State Senate, District 18 (2006)
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Rodger Smitherman (D) 21,212
Nance Stanley (R) 5,063

2002

See also: Alabama State Senate elections, 2002

On November 5, 2002, Smitherman won re-election to the 18th District Seat in the Alabama State Senate, running unopposed in the general election.[8]

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

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Candidate Connection

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2022

Rodger Smitherman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Rodger Smitherman campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022Alabama State Senate District 18Won general$231,350 $151,843
2018Alabama State Senate District 18Won general$241,184 N/A**
2014Alabama State Senate, District 18Won $242,634 N/A**
2010Alabama State Senate, District 18Won $486,505 N/A**
2006Alabama State Senate, District 18Won $242,634 N/A**
2002Alabama State Senate, District 18Won $254,525 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Alabama

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Alabama scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2024


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Smitherman and his wife, Carole, have four children. They reside in Birmingham, Alabama.

See also


External links

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by
-
Alabama State Senate District 18
1994-Present
Succeeded by
-


Current members of the Alabama State Senate
Leadership
Majority Leader:Steve Livingston
Minority Leader:Bobby Singleton
Senators
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
Jay Hovey (R)
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
Republican Party (27)
Democratic Party (8)