Alabama Held An Election But Few Voters Cared

The real story from yesterday's Special Primary Election is how few people even noticed an election was taking place.

Granted, the election was only conducted in congressional districts 1, 2, 6 and 7 and a handful of legislative districts in 40 counties, but only 113,493 registered voters in those counties voted. That's just over 5 percent of the voters. So one of the lowest voter turnouts in state history produced party nominees for the November 3 General Election.

There were two primary runoffs in West Alabama. In District 7, educator Aimee Aiken took 75% of the vote from David W. Perry to win the GOP nomination. She will face longtime Democratic incumbent Terri Sewell this fall. Sewell was unopposed.

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In a post-election statement, Aiken quoted President Dwight D. Eisenhower: "'The world moves, and ideas that were once good are not always good.' Congresswoman Sewell has been in office for over 15 years, and during that time we have seen our industries, agriculture and many of our communities struggle."

Aiken vowed to do more listening than talking if she is elected in November.

In Congressional District 6, where Bibb County is the only West Alabama county in that district, Trump-backed incumbent Republican Gary Palmer easily defeated Case Dixon with 87% of the vote in the GOP primary. On the Democratic side of the ballot, Maurice Mercer emerged as the winner with 64% of the vote in a field of four candidates. Mercer will challenge Palmer in November.

In the other two congressional districts where balloting took place, Trump-backed Jerry Carl, a former congressman, won the Republican nomination in Alabama's 1st Congressional District. He easily swept three challengers aside and will face Democrat Clyde Jones in November.

In the Republican 2nd District race, Rhett Marques, the man President Trump gave his "Complete and Total Endorsement" to, took half of just 32,801 votes cast to remarkably outdistance five other candidates.

Election results remain unofficial until certified, and additional votes can be added but generally will not change outcomes.