A special election primary is being held on August 4 for District 49 of the Alabama House of Representatives. Cheryl Patton is running in the Democratic primary. Russell Bedsole, James Dean, Donna Dorough Strong, Chuck Martin, Jackson McNeely, and Mimi Penhale are running in the Republican primary. A primary runoff is scheduled for September 1 if no candidate receives a majority of the vote. The general election is being held on November 17.
The seat became vacant after April Weaver (R) resigned to become a regional director in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Heading into the special election, Republicans have a 75-28 majority in the Alabama House of Representatives with two vacancies. Alabama has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.
As of July, 51 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2020 in 25 states. Between 2011 and 2019, an average of 77 special elections took place each year.