BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Alabama state senator appears to lose race by single vote

Volunteer workers and voters at polling place. They are eager to cast their ballot.

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A state legislator appears to have lost to a primary challenger by a single vote after provisional ballots were counted Tuesday, setting up a possible recount in the race.

Another state representative, who is trailing a challenger, said he will file an election contest in his GOP primary race after some voters in his district may have gotten the incorrect ballot.

Republican state Sen. Tom Whatley of Auburn trailed primary challenger Jay Hovey by a single vote after provisional ballots were counted Tuesday, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl said.

Hovey, a member of the Auburn City Council, had initially led by four votes, according to unofficial returns, but his lead shrank to a single vote after eligible provisional ballots were counted. Provisional ballots are votes where there was initially a question about the voter’s eligibility. The vote is counted once that question is resolved.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said Whatley has 24 hours to request a recount if he chooses. Alabama provides automatic recounts in general elections. In a primary election, a candidate must request and pay for the recount. Wahl said the candidate requesting a recount must put up a bond to pay for the process, but they will get the money back if the recount reverses the result.

Whatley did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.

In another race, unofficial returns showed Republican Rep. Gill Isbell of Gadsden losing to Mack Butler, who previously served in the Legislature. But the race is caught in a mix-up where some voters got ballots with the wrong House district. Merrill said the local Board of Registrars failed to accurately sort some voters into the correct legislative district after lawmakers drew new district lines. Merrill said last week they did not know how many voters were affected.

“The 2020 election has election integrity issues. There isn’t fraudulence but mistakes that caused the results to be invalid,” Isbell told The Associated Press. He said a recount would not resolve the situation. He said the “results have been compromised and another election would be the best solution.”

Wahl said the party, “really had no option” but to move forward with certification.

“The certification of the election is to confirm that the vote took place and what the result of that vote was,” Wahl said. “After it’s certified, candidates will have the option of challenging it or asking for a recount.”

Elections 2022

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Fair

la

70°F Fair Feels like 70°
Wind
3 mph SSW
Humidity
22%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
46°F Clear to partly cloudy. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph N
Precip
9%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous