Northport Mayor John Hinton Will Not Seek Office Again in August

John Hinton, the incumbent mayor of Northport, will not run for re-election during municipal elections in August.

Hinton was first appointed to represent District 3 on the city council in 2018, when Rodney Sullivan stepped down to join the Alabama House of Representatives. Hinton, who is a Baptist minister of music, then won a re-election campaign to the same seat in 2020.

Northport government is seldom normal or boring, though, and former Mayor Bobby Herndon shocked the city when he announced he would resign from office at the end of 2022, leaving more than two years of his term unfinished.

Jeff Hogg was the president of the council at the time and poised to become mayor, but he temporarily stepped down from that role so that the cup would pass to Hinton, allowing Hogg to keep his vote on the five-member council.

The unusual move saw Hinton named mayor, where he has served since January 2023.

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Hogg later also resigned from office, claiming the decisions he made on the council were leading to death threats and trouble at work.

Earlier this week, Hinton said he has been honored to serve four years on the council and three in the mayor's office, and that he will not run for re-election during municipal elections later this year.

"I do not plan to run for a full term as Mayor, due to age, health issues, and family advice," Hinton told the Thread. "My work with this Council has been enjoyable and productive."

While the last five years in Northport have not been without council controversies, the city has grown in population and added many new features.

"Over the last few years, tremendous progress has been made in many ways, including business and residential growth, infrastructure improvement and good business practice in City Hall," Hinton said. "The financial status of the City is the best it has been in years. Perhaps the highlight of these efforts has been the development of The Sports Complex at River Run Park at Northport Shore on the Warrior River. It is an honor to serve as an elected official in our great City!"

With the incumbent mayor not seeking re-election, so far the only candidate who has confirmed a campaign for the office is Dale Phillips, the former commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit.

Northport's municipal elections will be held on August 26, 2025. All five city council seats and the mayor's office are up for vote. Check out our just-launched coverage hub for those races here.

Any incumbent or challenging candidate seeking coverage on the Thread can reach the editor at stephen.dethrage@townsquaremedia.com.

For updates on those races and more, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.