Candidates interested in running in two state legislative special elections in Alabama have until January 26, 2021, to file. The primaries are scheduled for March 30, and the special elections will be held on July 13. The filing deadline for minor party and independent candidates is March 30. The winners of the special elections will serve until November 7, 2022.
The special election for state Senate District 14 became necessary after Cam Ward (R) was appointed to serve as director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles by Gov. Kay Ivey (R). He had represented the seat since 2010 and won re-election in 2018 with 72.6% of the vote.
The special election for state House District 73 was called after Matt Fridy (R) was elected to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals in November 2020. He had represented District 73 since 2015 and won re-election in 2018 with 69.1% of the vote.
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. Republicans control the state Senate by a 26-7 margin with two vacancies and the state House by a 75-28 margin with two vacancies.
As of January 2021, 20 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2021 in 14 states. Between 2011 and 2019, an average of 77 special elections took place each year.
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