1942 Alabama Senate election

The 1942 Alabama Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 3, 1942, to elect 35 representatives to serve four-year terms in the Alabama Senate. The result an electoral wipeout, as all 35 candidates elected were members of the Democratic Party. The election used the same districts first drawn by the Alabama Constitution of 1901.
As the Democratic Party was dominant in the state, state legislative seats were generally decided at the Democratic primary election. The first round of the Democratic primary was held on May 7 with runoff elections on June 4. Only one Democratic nominee, incumbent senator James A. Simpson in Jefferson County's District 13, faced opposition in the general election, receiving 95.59% of the vote against a [Alabama Alabama Republican Party|Republican Party|Republican] and a Communist. Simpson was unanimously elected President pro tempore at the November 1942 opening session.
The election took place concurrently with elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state house, and numerous other state and local offices.

Incumbents

Won re-election

District 3: Finis E. St. John Jr. won re-election.
District 4: Charles E. Shaver won re-election.
District 13: James A. Simpson won re-election.
District 20: O. D. Carlton won re-election.
District 22: J. Bruce Henderson won re-election.
District 24: Preston C. Clayton won re-election.
District 28: Charles A. Stakely won re-election.

Eliminated in primary

District 7: Henry H. Booth lost renomination to Elvin McCary.
District 33: Daniel T. McCall lost renomination to Vincent F. Kilborne.

Did not seek re-election

District 1: William W. Malone did not seek re-election.
District 2: Norman W. Harris was elected to Morgan County's first state house seat.
District 5: Herbert H. Conway unsuccessfully ran for circuit solicitor from the 9th Judicial Circuit.
District 6: John A. Lusk did not seek re-election.
District 8: W. L. Howard did not seek re-election.
District 9: Dan Boyd unsuccessfully ran for circuit solicitor from the 5th Judicial Circuit.
District 10: T. H. Street sought election to Tallapoosa County's first state house seat, but withdrew before the Democratic primary.
District 11: Hayse Tucker unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Representative from Alabama's 6th congressional district.
District 12: Oliver E. Young did not seek re-election.
District 14: R. B. Doughty did not seek re-election. Doughty succeeded Sen. Verdo Elmore after a March 1940 special election.
District 15: Karl C. Harrison unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Representative from Alabama's 6th congressional district.
District 16: Renzo Guy unsuccessfully ran for agriculture commissioner.
District 17: Joseph N. Poole was elected agriculture commissioner.
District 18: Howard Cooper did not seek re-election.
District 19: P. F. DeVane was elected member of the State Democratic Executive Committee from Alabama's 1st congressional district.
District 21: W. C. Holmes did not seek re-election.
District 23: Clyde M. Segrest was elected to Geneva County's first county commission district. Segrest succeeded Sen. Tim Faulk after a September 1939 special election.
District 25: J. M. Rowe unsuccessfully ran for Coffee County's sole state house seat.
District 26: Watkins C. Johnston resigned to serve in the Navy.
District 27: W. A. Dozier did not seek re-election.
District 29: E. M. Baker did not seek re-election.
District 30: C. C. Thomas did not seek re-election.
District 31: Z. L. Weatherford did not seek re-election.
District 32: E. F. Hildreth did not seek re-election.
District 34: A. L. Crumpton did not seek re-election.
District 35: W. Perry Calhoun was elected to Houston County's third county commission district.

General election results

Elected without opposition

Every candidate elected with no opponents was a Democrat.

District 1: Orlan B. Hill received 1,568 votes.
District 2: Vernon L. St. John received 1,805 votes.
District 3: Finis E. St. John Jr. received 3,796 votes. Homer Mitchell received 1 write-in vote.
District 4: Charles E. Shaver received 999 votes.
District 5: J. B. Benson received 2,185 votes.
District 6: Sam High received 3,895 votes.
District 7: Elvin McCary received 971 votes.
District 8: Kenneth A. Roberts received 928 votes.
District 9: Will O. Watson received 1,426 votes.
District 10: Lee Hornsby received 3,367 votes.
District 11: Gordon Madison received 1,355 votes.
District 12: Reuben L. Newton received 3,234 votes.
District 14: John H. Pinson received 550 votes.
District 15: George M. Taylor received 4,375 votes.
District 16: J. Monroe Black received 403 votes.
District 17: Tully A. Goodwin received 1,870 votes.
District 18: T. J. Jones received 881 votes.
District 19: Gerald Bradford received 1,968 votes.
District 20: O. D. Carlton received 590 votes.
District 21: W. W. Garrett received 2,315 votes.
District 22: J. Bruce Henderson received 508 votes.
District 23: Douglas Brown received 1,178 votes.
District 24: Preston C. Clayton received 684 votes.
District 25: M. N. Dodson received 2,145 votes.
District 26: Lawrence K. Andrews received 646 votes.
District 27: S. L. Toomer received 880 votes.
District 28: Charles A. Stakely received 1,448 votes.
District 29: Lem J. Cobb received 4,216 votes.
District 30: E. P. Russell received 776 votes.
District 31: Jim Smith Jr. received 2,905 votes.
District 32: L. J. Lawson received 798 votes.
District 33: Vincent F. Kilborn received 1,721 votes.
District 34: Charles S. Bentley received 1,821 votes.
District 35: M. W. Espy received 946 votes.

Democratic primary results

Runoff results by district

Candidates in boldface advanced to the general election. An asterisk denotes a runoff winner who trailed in the first round.

First round results by district

Candidates in boldface advanced to either the general election or a runoff, first-place winners with an asterisk did not face a runoff.

Nominated without opposition

The following candidates automatically won the Democratic nomination, as no opponent filed to run against them:

District 1: Orlan B. Hill received 5,586 votes.
District 4: Charles E. Shaver received 3,285 votes.
District 5: J. B. Benson received 5,460 votes.
District 9: Will O. Walton received 5,365 votes.
District 15: George M. Taylor Jr. received 5,507 votes.
District 17: Tully A. Goodwin received 5,339 votes.
District 18: T. J. Jones received 3,291 votes.
District 21: W. W. Garrett received 6,090 votes.
District 24: Preston C. Clayton received 3,138 votes.
District 26: Lawrence K. Andres received 2,375 votes.
District 27: S. L. Toomer received 3,340 votes.
District 28: Charles A. Stakeley received 7,453 votes.
District 35: M. W. Espy received 3,588 votes.

Republican candidate

Only one Republican ran for a state senate seat, Frank Snedeker in District 13. He was nominated along with other statewide candidates at the state Republican convention held at the Redmont Hotel in Birmingham on September 18, 1942. He won 380 votes, or 4.20 percent.

Communist candidate

One candidate ran as a Communist Party USA candidate, Mary B. Southard in District 13. She was nominated at a party caucus in Birmingham that she chaired. She won 19 votes, or 0.21 percent.

1939–1942 special elections

District 23 (Dale–Geneva)

A special election in Senate District 23 was made necessary by the death of four-term incumbent senator Tim Faulk in July 1939. Banker and farmer Clyde M. Segrest of Slocomb unanimously received the Democratic nomination, and subsequently won the general election unopposed.

District 14 (Pickens–Sumter)

A special election in Senate District 14 was made necessary by the resignation of incumbent senator Verdo Elmore after he was appointed the judge of the 24th Judicial Circuit. R. B. Doughty of Reform won the Democratic nomination and the general election unopposed.