Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin announced Tuesday he will seek another term representing District 5, setting up a bid to extend a public-service career that has spanned the probate court, the Alabama Supreme Court, and now the county commission. 

Bolin, a former associate justice of the state’s high court, has served on the five-member commission since winning a 2023 special election to fill the District 5 vacancy.

Bolin captured 59% of the vote in2023, defeating developer David Silverstein and preserving the commission’s Republican majority at the time. 

“Serving the people of Jefferson County has been the honor of my life. As probate judge, as an associate justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, and now as your District 5 commissioner,” Bolin said. 

“Over the past two years, we’ve been good stewards of county finances, focused on public safety and infrastructure, and supported smart economic development that brings jobs and revitalizes long-neglected industrial sites. Including the Birmingham Coca-Cola project that will turn a brownfield into a gateway for growth.”

“With your continued support, I’ll keep working every day to protect taxpayers, improve quality of life, and partner with local leaders to move Jefferson County forward. Thank you for trusting me with this responsibility and for the encouragement you’ve shown. I’m asking for your vote to continue working for our neighborhoods and community.”

District 5 covers portions of some of Jefferson County’s most populous over-the-mountain communities, including Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Mountain Brook and Hoover.

Before joining the commission, Bolin served 18 years as an associate justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and previously spent more than a decade as Jefferson County’s probate judge. His legal and judicial résumé has been a central part of his political profile.

During his first term, Bolin has participated in major economic-development deliberations, including incentive discussions tied to Coca-Cola Bottling Company United’s relocation and related investments intended to bolster jobs and revitalize industrial sites.

All five commission seats are on the ballot in 2026, with primary elections slated for May 19 and the general election set for Nov. 3. Bolin’s re-election effort will run on that calendar alongside other county races.

Bolin, a Vestavia Hills resident, first entered the District 5 arena in 2023 after then-Commissioner Steve Ammons resigned to lead the Birmingham Business Alliance, prompting the mid-summer special election that brought Bolin onto the dais.

As his campaign ramps up, voters in District 5 can expect a familiar pitch from a candidate who has logged decades in public service at the county and state level—and who will again ask constituents for their vote to continue that work on the commission.