2018 Alabama gubernatorial election
The 2018 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018. Incumbent Governor Kay Ivey, who took office upon the resignation of Robert Bentley, ran for election to a full term and defeated Democratic Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox by a wide margin. Ivey was sworn in for her first full term on January 14, 2019.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Tommy Battle, mayor of Huntsville
- Scott Dawson, evangelist
- Bill Hightower, state senator
- Kay Ivey, incumbent governor
- Michael McAllister, former prison officer
Withdrew
- Slade Blackwell, state senator
- David Carrington, Jefferson County Commissioner
- Twinkle Cavanaugh, president of the Public Service Commission
- Stacy Lee George, former Morgan County Commissioner and candidate for governor in 2014
- Josh Jones, businessman
- John McMillan, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries
Declined
- Rick Burgess, radio host
- Bill "Bubba" Bussey, radio host
- Bradley Byrne, U.S. Representative and candidate for governor in 2010
- Mary Scott Hunter, member of the Alabama State Board of Education
- Del Marsh, president pro tempore of the Alabama Senate
- Arthur Orr, state senator
- Trip Pittman, state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2017
- Greg Reed, Majority Leader of the Alabama Senate
- Luther Strange, former U.S. senator and former attorney general of Alabama
- Tommy Tuberville, former Auburn University football coach
- Cam Ward, state senator
- Jim Zeigler, State Auditor of Alabama
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Tommy Battle | Young Boozer | Bill Hightower | Mike Hubbard | Kay Ivey | Tim James | Del Marsh | John McMillan | John Merrill | Roy Moore | Martha Roby | Luther Strange | Undecided/ Other |
| Public Insight Research | July 2016 | 607 | – | 9% | 2% | – | – | – | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 28% | 6% | 19% | 24% |
| Public Insight Research | July 2015 | 601 | – | – | – | – | 4% | – | 4% | 5% | 2% | 3% | 32% | – | 19% | 30% |
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Sue Bell Cobb, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
- Christopher A. Countryman, equality activist, former juvenile corrections officer and former pastor
- James C. Fields, former state representative and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014
- Walt Maddox, mayor of Tuscaloosa
- Doug "New Blue" Smith, nominee for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries in 2014
- Anthony White, ordained minister
Withdrew
- Jason Childs, truck driver and former pastor
Declined
- Doug Jones, U.S. senator
- Terri Sewell, U.S. representative for Alabama's 7th Congressional District
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Tony Hewitt Jr., police officer
- Eric Lathan, security guard, Iraq War veteran and candidate for the Jefferson County Commission in 2010
Declined
- Mark Johnston, pastor, businessman and summer camp executive director
General election
Results
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
By congressional district
Ivey won six of seven congressional districts.| District | Ivey | Maddox | Representative |
| 61% | 39% | Bradley Byrne | |
| 64% | 36% | Martha Roby | |
| 63% | 37% | Mike Rogers | |
| 75% | 25% | Robert Aderholt | |
| 61% | 39% | Mo Brooks | |
| 64% | 35% | Gary Palmer | |
| 27% | 73% | Terri Sewell |