A proposed change to the Alabama Republican Party bylaws is being circulated tonight that would allow John Wahl to remain serving as Chairman of the state party while simultaneously running for Lt. Governor of Alabama in 2026.
An email obtained by Yellowhammer News from Chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party, Joan Reynolds, requests 50 signatures on a petition to change Article VII, Sections 2 and 5 of party bylaws before it goes to the full state executive committee (SEC) for a vote.
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“Please do this today if possible,” Reynolds writes.
Under the proposed change, if the ALGOP Chairman or Secretary decides to become a candidate in a statewide or congressional primary, they must either resign “or take a leave of absence” for the duration of the campaign. During which time, the ALGOP Vice Chair would “assume all duties” of the Chairman.
There is no provision in state party bylaws that allows virtual voting in any form, including by email.
A high volume of reports were received by Yellowhammer News outraged by the proposal, citing the need for continuity in the chairmanship, now less than one year away from the 2026 primary election.
“In accordance with ALGOP Bylaws ARTICLE VII, Sections 2 and 5, this petition calls for a special email meeting vote to amend the State Party standing rules regarding candidates for primary elections. This amendment would clarify the process of a party official running for public office and permit party leaders taking a leave of absence during a campaign,” the petition reads.
Today’s petition comes one day after Wahl circulated an email gauging support among members of the state executive committee for his potential bid for Lt. Governor.
In a statement to Yellowhammer News on Wednesday night, Wahl distanced himself from the petition itself, said he has not ultimately made up his mind about running, and stated that he is on solid legal bedrock to do so either way:
“I am aware that some members of the State Party are circulating a petition to clarify whether the ALGOP bylaws allow the Chairman or Secretary to take a leave of absence. While the current standing rules do not prohibit a leave of absence, and the Party’s legal counsel believes it would be permitted, I wanted to hold myself to a higher standard. That’s why I informed the State Executive Committee that I planned to resign if I ultimately decide to run.
That said, this petition would require 50 signatures before it can be brought forward. If that threshold is met, it will be up to SEC members to vote on whether to adopt the proposed clarification. This process is consistent with the Party’s procedures as outlined in the bylaws.
I deeply appreciate the support SEC members have shown me over the years. I know some would prefer not to see me leave this role, and that means a great deal to me personally. However, it’s important to remember that I have not yet decided whether I will run for public office—let alone whether I would take a leave of absence or resign if I do,” Wahl said.
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Bonnie Sachs, District 4 Chair of ALGOP’s steering committee also distributed a call to action in an email obtained by Yellowhammer News, questioning the chain of command if Wahl resigned in order to run for Lt. Governor: “Does the Vice Chairman take over for the remainder of the term? Is a special election required? And is the Chairman permitted to take a leave of absence?”
“Over the past several days, I have spoken with legal counsel and fellow members of our State Executive Committee. We believe that the current standing rules do not explicitly forbid the Chairman from taking a leave of absence. In fact, we believe the rules could — and certainly should — allow for it,” Sachs wrote.
“It would be a major loss for the Alabama Republican Party if our interpretation of the standing rules forced John to resign permanently.”
Updated 8:19 p.m. to reflect there exists no provision in ALGOP bylaws that allows for virtual voting and 9:03 p.m. to include comment from Wahl.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
