2009–10 Birmingham, Alabama mayoral special election

2009–10 Birmingham, Alabama mayoral special election
December 8, 2009 (primary)
January 19, 2010 (runoff)
 
Candidate William A. Bell Patrick Cooper
First round 8,758
25.05% 		14,004
40.05%
Runoff 25,369
53.56% 		21,996
46.44%
 
Candidate Carole Smitherman Emory Anthony Jr.
First round 6,559
18.76% 		4,349
12.44%
Mayor before election

Roderick Royal (acting)
Nonpartisan

Elected mayor

William A. Bell
Nonpartisan

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Government

The 2009–10 Birmingham, Alabama mayoral special election was held on January 19, 2010, following a special primary election on December 8, 2009, to elect the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama. Former Mayor Larry Langford was convicted on sixty counts of bribery-related charges on October 28, 2009, and he was automatically removed from office, elevating City Council President Carole Smitherman to the role.[1] The Birmingham Election Commission subsequently scheduled a special election.[2]

Smitherman announced that she would run in the special election,[3] though on November 24, 2009, the City Council elected Roderick Royal as its new President, empowering him to replace Smitherman as acting Mayor.[4]

Fourteen candidates ran in the special election, with County Commissioner and former interim Mayor William A. Bell, Smitherman, City Councilman Steven Hoyt, and attorneys Patrick Cooper and Emory Anthony Jr., emerging as the leading candidates. In the primary election, Cooper placed first with 40 percent, and advanced to a runoff election with Bell, who received 25 percent.[5] In the runoff election, Bell defeated Cooper by a narrow margin, winning 54 percent of the vote to Cooper's 46 percent.[6]

Primary election

Candidates

  • Patrick Cooper, attorney, 2007 candidate for Mayor[7]
  • William A. Bell, Jefferson County Commissioner, former interim Mayor[8]
  • Carole Smitherman, former acting Mayor[3]
  • Emory Anthony Jr., attorney[9]
  • Steven Hoyt, City Councilman[10]
  • Scott Douglas, interfaith community program manager[11]
  • Jody Trautwein, youth pastor[12]
  • Harry "Traveling Shoes" Turner Jr., evangelist, roller skating teacher[12]
  • Stephannie S. Huey, teacher, 2003 candidate for Mayor, 1999 candidate for Mayor of Denver[12]
  • T. C. Cannon, businessman[12]
  • William Jason Sumners, photo studio owner[13]
  • Edith Mayomi, substitute teacher[14]
  • Jimmy Snow, food store owner[12]
  • Ernie S. Dunn, former home improvement business owner[15] (deceased)[16]

Results

Primary election results[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Patrick Cooper 14,004 40.05%
Nonpartisan William A. Bell 8,758 25.05%
Nonpartisan Carole Smitherman 6,559 18.76%
Nonpartisan Emory Anthony Jr. 4,349 12.44%
Nonpartisan Steven Hoyt 641 1.83%
Nonpartisan Scott Douglas 201 0.57%
Nonpartisan Jody Trautwein 173 0.49%
Nonpartisan Harry "Traveling Shoes" Turner Jr. 81 0.23%
Nonpartisan Stephannie S. Huey 60 0.17%
Nonpartisan T. C. Cannon 41 0.12%
Nonpartisan William Sumners 31 0.09%
Nonpartisan Edith Mayomi 28 0.08%
Nonpartisan Jimmy Snow 23 0.07%
Nonpartisan Ernie Dunn 13 0.04%
Total votes 34,962 100.00%

General election

Results

2009–10 Birmingham mayoral special election results[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan William A. Bell 25,369 53.56%
Nonpartisan Patrick Cooper 21,996 46.44%
Total votes 47,365 100.00%

References

  1. ^ Bryant, Joseph D. (October 29, 2009). "Smitherman becomes acting mayor". The Birmingham News. p. 1A. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Bryant, Joseph D. (November 3, 2009). "Election for mayor set for Dec. 8". The Birmingham News. p. 1A. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b Bryant, Joseph D. (November 11, 2009). "Carole Smitherman will run for mayor". The Birmingham News. p. 2B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Bryant, Joseph D. (November 25, 2009). "Royal becomes acting mayor". The Birmingham News. p. 1A. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Hubbard, Russell (December 9, 2009). "Cooper, Bell in runoff for mayor". The Birmingham News. p. 1A. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Wright, Barnett (January 20, 2010). "Bell wins mayor's race". The Birmingham News. p. 1A. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Bryant, Joseph D. (November 6, 2009). "Cooper declares mayoral campaign". The Birmingham News. p. 2B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Bryant, Joseph D. (November 13, 2009). "William Bell announces candidacy". The Birmingham News. p. 2B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Bryant, Joseph D. (November 9, 2009). "Emory Anthony to announce run for mayor today". The Birmingham News. p. 2B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Bryant, Joseph D. (November 13, 2009). "Councilman Hoyt to run for mayor". The Birmingham News. p. 2B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Faulk, Kent (November 13, 2009). "Douglas throws his hat in the ring". The Birmingham News. p. 2B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c d e Bryant, Joseph D. (November 19, 2009). "14 candidates hope to be Birmingham's next mayor". The Birmingham News. p. 1A, 4A. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Gordon, Robert K. (December 4, 2009). "Sumners wants city to host constitutional convention". The Birmingham News. p. 3C. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Faulk, Kent (December 1, 2009). "Candidate Mayomi wants to help homeless, jobless". The Birmingham News. p. 3B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Gordon, Robert K. (December 4, 2009). "Mayor candidate in race because 'job came open'". The Birmingham News. p. 3C. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Gray, Jeremy (December 5, 2009). "Mayoral candidate Dunn dies". The Birmingham News. p. 1B. Retrieved August 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Birmingham Mayoral 2009 - December 8, 2009" (PDF). Birmingham City Clerk. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  18. ^ "BIRMINGHAM MAYORAL RUN-OFF - JANUARY 19, 2010" (PDF). Birmingham City Clerk. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
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