Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced the special election dates to fill the seat for State Senate District 14 which covers parts of Shelby, Bibb, Chilton, Jefferson and Hale Counties.
The deadline to qualify as a candidate for either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party is Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
A special primary election will be held on March 30, with the possibility of a special primary runoff election on April 27 if either party does not have a candidate who gets more than 50% of the vote in the initial primary election.
The special general election for the district will be held on Tuesday, July 13.
Senate District 14 (SD 14) is being vacated by Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster), who accepted an appointment as director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.
He was sworn into that role on Monday morning, per a release from the governor’s office.
“I appreciate Senator Ward agreeing to serve in his new capacity as director of the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, but it is just as critical to fill the open seat on behalf of the people in Senate District 14,” remarked Ivey on Monday.
Former State Representative April Weaver (R-Brierfield), who announced her candidacy for Senate District 14 on Sunday, is considered the frontrunner by most observers due to her name identification in the district and a state campaign account with over $140,000 to spend.
Weaver was endorsed by Alabama Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth on Monday.
SD 14 is heavily Republican; Ward faced no Democratic opposition in his 2010 and 2014 elections and won 73% of the vote when challenged by Democrat Jerry McDonald in 2018.
A resident of the district who wants to seek election to the seat as an independent candidate or as the representative of a minor party must file their paperwork with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office by Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. to have their name appear on the ballot.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
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