One week from today, polls will open at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 pm in the Northport Municipal Elections as controversies dominate political talk.

The mayor's seat and all but one of the council seats have competitive races. Danny C. Higdon, the longtime chief financial officer for the Tuscaloosa County School System, is running unopposed in District 5.

While several issues are being discussed in this year's election, the dominating topic is University Beach. The $350 million multi-purpose resort has elicited vehement opposition from some Northport citizens who claim the current council has forced the water park, hotel, and multi-use University Beach plan through without being transparent in the details.

It was a hot topic at the recent League of Women Voters-sponsored candidates' forum at the Northport Community Center.

The community center itself is also a prime political talking point, like University Beach, it was the center of controversy left over from the days of resigned city council president Jeff Hogg's tenure. Hogg proposed to sell the property just off Lurleen Wallace Boulevard to a developer for a multi-use facility. Like University Beach, the plan drew vocal opposition from some residents and was eventually shot down by the counci, who later invested municipal funds into renovating and reopening the community center.

Also, on the minds of some voters next week will be the loss of the nationally recognized Kentuck Arts Festival to Tuscaloosa. The council's handling of the contractual dispute may also play a part in how ballots are cast.

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These controversies and conflicts at some council meetings led to Hogg resigning, claiming he and his family had received death threats and harassment. The ensuing council shake-up resulted in District One's Christy Bobo becoming President and District Two's Woodrow Washington assuming the President Pro Tem title. Anwar Aiken was then selected to fill Hogg's District 5 council seat.

John Hinton, a former councilman who succeeded former mayor Bobby Herndon after his November 2022 resignation, decided not to run for a full term of his own. Karl Wiggins was selected to replace Hinton in his vacated District Three seat.

You almost need a program to keep up with the changes, and this is hardly the first time there has been turmoil within Northport's elected political structure, but those are other stories, and recounting them could get confusing fast.

University Beach, the Northport Community Center and Kentuck are not the only controversies surrounding next Tuesday's elections. The Northport City Council's decision to approve new polling locations for the August municipal election was met with concerns from some residents and city council members.

Complaints were raised regarding potential issues with parking availability, traffic problems, ADA accessibility, and the proximity of one polling place to the business of an incumbent city councilman.

Complicating the situation, some voters received mailers from the Board of Registrars containing outdated and incorrect information about where to vote, as reported by Tuscaloosa Thread in June.

Northport city officials have taken steps to clarify polling locations and address accessibility concerns, including providing a shuttle service to one location experiencing construction.

Checkout our Northport Municipal Elections coverage hub for background on next Tuesday's elections. Tuscaloosa Thread and Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa radio stations will have election return coverage next Tuesday night once the polls close.

2025 Municipal Election Information