2018 Alabama elections
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Alabama on November 6, 2018. All Alabama executive officers were up for election along with all of Alabama's seven seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections took place on June 5, 2018 for both major parties.
Governor
Incumbent Republican governor Kay Ivey, who assumed the office upon the resignation of Robert J. Bentley in April 2017, ran for a full term against Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and independent write-in Chad Chig Martin. Ivey won with 59% of the vote.Lieutenant governor
The office of lieutenant governor was vacant prior to the election.State House Representative Will Ainsworth, State Senator Rusty Glover, and Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh were running for the Republican nomination.
Pastor Will Boyd from Florence ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Ainsworth won the general election with 61% of the votes.
Attorney general
Incumbent Republican attorney general Steve Marshall was appointed to the office by Governor Robert J. Bentley in February 2017. He ran for a full term against Joseph Siegelman, the son of former governor Don Siegelman. Marshall won with 58.8% of the vote.Secretary of state
Incumbent Republican secretary of state John Merrill ran for re-election to a second term.Democratic primary
Candidates
- Lula Albert, retired sergeant major.
- Heather Milam, professor at the University of Montevallo.
Primary results
Republican primary
Candidates
- Michael Johnson, Marshall County revenue commissioner.
- John Merrill, incumbent.
Primary results
General election
Predictions
Polling
Results
State auditor
Incumbent Republican state auditor Jim Zeigler ran for re-election to a second term.Democratic nominee
- Miranda Joseph, private auditor.
Republican primary
Candidates
- Stan Cooke, pastor and small business owner.
- Elliott Lipinsky, Wilcox County assistant district attorney.
- Jim Zeigler, incumbent.
Primary results
General election
State treasurer
Incumbent Republican state treasurer Young Boozer was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third consecutive term. No Democratic candidates filed to run for this office.Republican primary
Candidates
- David Black, professor at the University of North Alabama.
- Stephen Evans, investment adviser.
- John McMillan, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.
Primary results
General election
Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries
Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third consecutive term. No Democratic candidates filed to run for this office.Republican primary
Candidates
- Tracy "T.O." Crane, food security company owner and former FBI field intelligence supervisor.
- Gerald Dial, state senator.
- Cecil Murphy, farmer and retired teacher.
- Rick Pate, farmer and mayor of Lowndesboro.
Primary results
General election
State Supreme Court
Five seats on the Supreme Court of Alabama were up for election, of which three were contested.Chief Justice
Incumbent Republican Chief Justice Lyn Stuart was appointed by Governor Kay Ivey in 2017 to serve the remaining term of Roy Moore who was suspended. Stuart ran for a full term and was challenged by Republican Associate Justice Tom Parker and Democratic Jefferson County circuit court judge Bob Vance.Republican primary
Candidates
- Lyn Stuart, incumbent Chief Justice.
- Tom Parker, Associate Justice.
Primary results
Democratic nominee
- Bob Vance, Jefferson County circuit court judge and Democratic nominee in 2012.
General election
Associate Justice, Place 1
Incumbent Republican Justice Brad Mendheim was appointed by Governor Kay Ivey in January 2018 to replace Glenn Murdock who resigned. Mendheim ran for a full term but was defeated in the primaries by Mobile County circuit court judge Sarah Hicks Stewart.Republican primary
Candidates
- Brad Mendheim, incumbent Associate Justice.
- Sarah Hicks Stewart, circuit judge.
- Debra H. Jones, circuit judge.
Primary first round
Primary runoff
General election
Associate Justice, Place 4
Incumbent Republican Justice James Allen Main was ineligible for re-election due to age limits imposed by the state constitution.Republican primary
Candidates
- Jay Mitchell, attorney.
- John Bahakel, attorney.
Primary results
Democratic nominee
- Donna Smalley, lawyer.
General election
State Appellate Courts
Three seats each on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals were up for election, of which five were contested.Court of Civil Appeals, Place 1
Incumbent Republican judge Craig Sorrell Pittman did not file for re-election.Republican primary
- Christy Olinger Edwards, judge.
- Peyton Thetford, former judge.
- Michelle Thomason, judge.
Primary first round
Primary runoff
General election
Court of Civil Appeals, Place 2
Incumbent Republican judge Terri Willingham Thomas ran for re-election but lost in the primary to Chad Hanson.Republican primary
Candidates
- Terri Willingham Thomas, incumbent judge.
- Chad Hanson, attorney.
Primary results
General election
Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 1
Incumbent Republican judge Samuel H. Welch did not file for re-election.Republican primary
Candidates
- Richard Minor, attorney.
- Riggs Walker, prosecutor.
Primary results
General election
Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2
Incumbent Republican judge Liles C. Burke resigned to serve as a district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.Republican primary
Candidates
- Chris McCool, district attorney.
- Rich Anderson, prosecutor.
- Dennis O'Dell, judge.
Primary first round
Primary runoff
General election
Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3
Incumbent Republican judge Michael Joiner did not file for re-election.Republican primary
Candidates
- Donna Beaulieu, attorney.
- William "Bill" Cole, circuit court judge.
Primary results
General election
Public Service Commission
The two associate commissioner seats on the Alabama Public Service Commission were up for election. Incumbent Republican commissioners Jeremy Oden, who was appointed to the commission by Governor Bentley in December 2012, and Chris "Chip" Beeker, who was first elected in 2014, were both eligible to run for re-election.Place 1
Democratic nominee
- Cara McClure, entrepreneur.
Republican primary
Candidates
- Jim Bonner, former community college teacher.
- Jeremy Oden, incumbent.
Controversy
Incumbent Oden narrowly defeated Bonner in the primary election; the margin of victory was wide enough to avoid an automatic recount. Bonner tried to raise funds for a recount but was unsuccessful. The state GOP also upheld their decision to keep his votes uncertified.
Primary results
General election
Place 2
Democratic nominee
- Kari Powell, small business owner.
Republican primary
Candidates
- Chip Beeker, incumbent.
- Robin Litaker, retired elementary school principal.
Results
General election
Alabama State Legislature
Every member of the Alabama state legislature was up for election in 2018. Both state senators and state representatives serve four-year terms in Alabama. After the 2014 elections, Republicans maintained control of both chambers. In 2018, all 35 Alabama Senate seats and all 105 Alabama House of Representatives seats were up for election. These seats would not be contested in a regularly scheduled election again until 2022.The outcome of this election could affect partisan balance during post-2020 census redistricting.