4 cities, towns have contested mayoral elections
ELECTION
RUSSELLVILLE — Four of Franklin County’s cities or towns will have contested mayoral elections in the Aug. 26 municipal elections.
The most hotly contested race will be in Red Bay, where incumbent Charlene Sancher is facing opposition from two candidates — Rodney Belue and Mike Shewbart.
Two of the other three contested mayoral races have a challenger seeking to unseat incumbents.
In Russellville, incumbent David Reed Grissom is facing challenger Guadalupe Martinez.
InPhilCampbell,incumbent Tommy “Eddie” Marbutt, who the council named mayor on April 17 after Michael McQuary resigned as mayor, faces opposition from Greg H. Williams.
Vina voters will elect a new mayor as incumbent Michael Moomaw did not qualify to seek re-election. Alanis Epperson and Sue Raper are seeking to replace Moomaw in that town’s only contested race.
IncumbentVinacouncilmembers Renea Chandler (Place 1), Jeff McAlister (Place 2), Wanda Hacker (Place 4) and Denieta Cantrell (Place 5) do not have challengers. And Lee Hacker is the lone candidate to qualify for the Place 3 seat currently being held by Luke Childers.
Four of Russellville’s five council seats are being contested. Only District 1 incumbent David Palmer is unopposed.
For District 2, incumbent Darren Woodruff must face Hunter Smith.
For District 3, incumbent Gary Cummings has opposition from Donnie Horton.
District 4 incumbent Dexter Hamilton has Lonnie Freeman as a challenger.
And District 5 incumbent James “Jamie” Harris’s challenger is Robbie Byran Richardson.
In Red Bay, Place 3 incumbent Herbert Trulove has two challengers – Jonathon Strickland and Kathryn Cantrell Wilkins.
Incumbents Mike Kennedy (Place 1), Jarod Massey (Place 2), Jason Vinson (Place 4), and Brad M. Bolton (Place 5) are unopposed.
Phil Campbell also has just one contested race: Place 4 incumbent Lynn Landers has drawn opposition from Walt Huet Charlie Willis Evans Jr. and Jacqueline Knott.
Place 2 incumbent Rodney Kuykendall and Place 3 incumbent Billy Joe Burks, who the council named to replace Marbutt after he was appointed mayor, do not have opposition.
The town also will have two new council members – Meegan Scott (Place 1) and Thomas Inman (Place 5) after brothers Barry King (Place 1) and Philip King (Place 5) did not qualify for the election.
Town Council Place 1: Meegan Scott (Barry King) Meanwhile, in Hodges, there are no contested races, only incumbents. Running unopposed are Mayor Brian Scott, and council members Tim Atkinson (Place 1), Mandy Bryant (Place 2), Marty Guidry (Place 3), Judy Harden (Place 4), and Jessica Petree (Place 5) .
July 27 is the deadline for residents to establish residency to vote, and Aug. 11 is the deadline to register, according to the Alabama League of Municipalities.
The new administrations take office on Nov. 3, beginning a four-year term.
