Alabama Supreme Court elections

There are nine justices on the Alabama Supreme Court, each elected to six-year terms. They appear on partisan election ballots statewide and must face re-election if they wish to serve again. For more information about these elections, visit the Alabama judicial elections page. See also: Partisan elections Selection of the chief justice The chief justice of the court is selected by popular vote, serving in that office for his or her full six-year term. Qualifications To serve on this court, a judge must be: licensed to practice law for at least 10 years; a state resident for at least one year; under the age of 70 at the time of election (judges who turn 70 in office may serve until their terms expire). These specific requirements are fairly new. The ten-year law license requirement was established in 2009. Vacancies Should a vacancy occur between regularly scheduled elections, which take place in November of even-numbered years, an interim justice is appointed by the governor. Any justice appointed in this fashion must then stand for election in the next general election occurring at least one year after taking office. Elections 2016 See also: Alabama Supreme Court elections, 2016 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. General election candidates Place 1 ■ Kelli Wise (R) (Incumbent/Unopposed) Place 2 ■ Michael Bolin (R) (Incumbent/Unopposed) Place 3 ■ Tom Parker (R) (Incumbent/Unopposed) Election results November 8 general election Incumbent Michael Bolin ran unopposed in the general election for the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 1. Alabama Supreme Court, Place 1, 2016 Party Candidate      Republican Michael Bolin Incumbent (unopposed) Incumbent Kelli Wise ran unopposed in the general election for the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 2. Alabama Supreme Court, Place 2, 2016 Party Candidate      Republican Kelli Wise Incumbent (unopposed) Incumbent Tom Parker ran unopposed in the general election for the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 3. Alabama Supreme Court, Place 3, 2016 Party Candidate      Republican Tom Parker Incumbent (unopposed) March 1 primary election 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 2014 See also: Alabama judicial elections, 2014 Unopposed   Judge Greg Shaw (Seat 1) 2012 See also: Alabama judicial elections, 2012 Candidate Incumbency Party Place Primary Vote Election Vote GraddickCharles Graddick     No Republican Chief Justice 25.5%   MaloneCharles Malone (Alabama)     Yes Republican 24.5%   JonesDebra H. Jones     No Republican Place 1 34.8%   PoynterGinger Poynter     No Independent n/a    A MurdockGlenn Murdock   A Yes Republican 98.16%   A LyonHarry Lyon     No Democratic Chief Justice    A MainJames Allen Main   A Yes Republican Place 4 98.13%   A StuartLyn Stuart   A Yes Republican 98.13%   A MaddoxMelinda Lee Maddox     No Independent Chief Justice n/a    A VanceRobert S. Vance     No Democratic Place 21 48.23%   A Roy Moore         BryanTommy Bryan   A No Republican 65.1%A 98.07%   A 2010 In 2010, two incumbents were re-elected to the Alabama Supreme Court. Kelli Wise was elected the vacant seat left by Justice Patricia Smith. Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Election votes Election % Kelli Wise A No Place 1 Republican 912,254 62.9% Rhonda Chambers No Place 1 Democratic 537,112 37% Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Election votes Election % Michael Bolin A Yes Place 2 Republican 907,029 62.7% Tracy W. Cary No Place 2 Republican Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Election votes Election % Tom Parker A Yes Place 3 Republican 849,106 58.9% Mac Parsons No Place 3 Democratic 591,133 41% James R. Houts No Place 3 Republican Eric Johnston No Place 3 Republican 2008 Harold See retired from the court, leaving an open seat. Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Election votes Election % Greg Shaw A No Republican 1,021,371 50.3% Deborah Bell Paseur No Democratic 1,008,479 49.6% 2006 Democrat Sue Bell Cobb was elected Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, defeating appointed Chief Justice Drayton Nabers, Jr. Glenn Murdock was also elected to the court in 2006, defeating incumbent Justice Jean Brown. Incumbent Justices Thomas Woodall and Lyn Stuart were re-elected in 2006, after each fending off primary and general election challenges. Justice Champ Lyons was re-elected after running unopposed in the general election. Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Election votes Election % Sue Bell Cobb A No Chief Justice Democratic 634,494 51.5% Drayton Nabers, Jr. Yes Chief Justice Republican 596,237 48.4% Tom Parker No Chief Justice Republican Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Primary votes Primary % Election votes Election % Champ Lyons A Yes Place 1 Republican 60.3% 220,886 Ben Hand No Place 1 Republican 39.6% 145,105 Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Primary votes Primary % Election votes Election % Thomas Woodall A Yes Place 2 Republican 253,732 71.6% 665,610 56.7% Gwendolyn Thomas Kennedy No Place 2 Democratic 506,691 43.2% Hank Fowler No Place 2 Republican 28.3% 100,565 Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Primary votes Primary % Election votes Election % Lyn Stuart A Yes Place 3 Republican 267,201 71.7% 680,103 57.8% Albert Johnson No Place 3 Democratic 495,846 42.1% Alan Zeigler No Place 3 Republican 28.2% 105,288 Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Primary votes Primary % Election votes Election % Glenn Murdock A No Place 4 Republican 219,594 61.1% 651,057 54.9% John England No Place 4 Democratic 532,837 45% Tracy Gwyn BirdSong No Place 4 Republican 44,262 12.3% 6 Jean Brown Yes Place 4 Republican 95,287 26.5% 2004 The removal of Chief Justice Roy Moore from the Alabama Supreme Court was a substantial campaign issue in the Republican primaries of 2004. Regardless of that situation, Alabama voters still elected three Republicans to open seats over the choice of sending Democrats to the court. Republicans Tom Parker, Patricia Smith and Michael Bolin were all elected to the court after facing challenges in Republican primaries and the general election. Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Primary votes Primary % Election votes Election % Tom Parker A No Place 1 Republican 107,325 50.9% 986,530 55.8% Robert H. Smith No Place 1 Democratic 781,197 44.1% Jean Brown Yes Place 1 Republican 103,241 49% Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Election votes Election % Patricia Smith A No Place 2 Republican 1,070,789 59.9% Roger M. Monroe No Place 2 Democratic 716,691 40% Pam Baschab No Place 2 Republican Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Primary votes Primary % Election votes Election % Michael Bolin A No Place 3 Republican 99,964 49.9% 1,056,642 59.7% John E. Rochester No Place 3 Democratic 712,569 40.2% Peggy Givhan No Place 3 Republican 34,328 17.1% (No first name given) Holloway No Place 3 Republican 13,913 6.9% 2002 Harold See was re-elected to the court in 2002. Candidate Incumbent Seat Party Election votes Election % Harold See A Yes Republican 676,539 51.4% James H. Anderson No Democratic 609,490 46.3% Tom Bear No Libertarian 29,247 2.2% See also Alabama judicial elections Alabama Supreme Court Judicial selection in Alabama External links Justice at Stake, "Report: The New Politics of Judicial Elections," 2004 Footnotes Alabama courts 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