Candidates interested in running in the special election for District 78 of the Alabama House of Representatives have until March 23 to file. A primary is scheduled for May 25, 2021, and the general election is on September 7. The filing deadline for independent and minor party candidates is May 25.
The special election was called after Kirk Hatcher (D) was elected to the Alabama State Senate in a special election on March 2, 2021. He was elected to House District 78 in 2018 with 83.4% 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 26-8 margin with one vacancy and the state House by a 76-27 margin with two vacancies.
As of March 2021, 29 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2021 in 16 states. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year.
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