Alabama House District 52 Democratic runoff election: A voter’s guide

Kelvin Datcher (right), Birmingham’s deputy director of community development, and nonprofit executive Frank Woodson (right) will face off in a July 16 Democratic runoff for House District 52. (Courtesy of Kelvin Datcher and Frank Woodson)

Voters in Birmingham go to the polls Tuesday to choose a Democratic nominee for a special election in House District 52.

Kelvin Datcher, the deputy director of community development for Birmingham, will compete against Frank Woodson, a nonprofit executive and former UPS manager, for the Democratic nomination in a district that covers a portion of the University of Alabama at Birmingham as well as parts of Fairfield and Homewood. Both candidates moved on to the runoff in a primary earlier this month .

Among six candidates who ran in the primary, Datcher, finished first with 38% of the vote. Woodson got nearly 18% of the vote, beating out a third contender by three votes.

The winner would likely be the presumptive nominee for the district. Carlos Crum, the Republican nominee, dissolved his campaign on July 8 , and the Alabama Secretary of State confirmed Monday Crum is no longer in the race and there is no Republican nominee.

“The Secretary of State’s office does not certify for the General until August 2, so we cannot confirm 100% that there will not be a general election until that day. As of now, there is no Republican candidate, and no general election,” said Laney Rawls, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office.

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When do polls open?

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Where do I find my polling place?

The Alabama Secretary of State’s website allows you to check voter registration and the location of your polling place. You can find it here .

What do I need to vote?

Voters must present a valid photo ID before voting. Valid forms of ID include :

• Alabama driver’s license (not expired or expired less than 60 days)
• Alabama Law Enforcement Agency digital driver’s license
• Alabama Non-Driver ID (not expired or expired less than 60 days)
• Alabama Photo Voter ID card
• State-issued ID (Alabama or any other state)
• Federal-issued ID
• U.S. Passport
• Employee ID from the federal government; state of Alabama; county; municipality, board or other entity of Alabama
• Student or employee ID from a public or private post-secondary educational institution in Alabama or other states (including colleges, universities, postgraduate technical and professional schools)
• Digital student or employee ID from a public or private post-secondary educational institution in Alabama or other states (including colleges, universities, postgraduate technical and professional schools)
• Military ID
• Tribal ID

Kelvin Datcher, Frank Woodson competing in Dem runoff for House District 52

Where is the district located?

The Birmingham-area House district includes a section of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and parts of Fairfield and Homewood.

How did the seat become vacant?

Former Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, resigned from the House in March and pleaded guilty to charges of wire and mail fraud and obstruction of justice . Rogers was accused of directing hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for public projects in Jefferson County to a youth baseball league, with some of the money being kicked back to an assistant and former romantic partner. Rogers, who was first elected in 1982, had been the longest-serving representative in the chamber.

Does the seat have a partisan lean?

A Democratic candidate would likely have prevailed in a general election. The last time a Republican ran in the district was in 2014, when Rogers got almost 77% of the vote against Republican nominee Phillip Bahakel, an attorney.

What issues dominate the race?

Although Datcher and Woodson took different approaches to improving Birmingham, they generally agree on the issues affecting Birmingham, with Datcher and Woodson both said it’s important to address issues in education, crime, housing, and career development.

Datcher said that, “at a minimum,” there should be preparation for people to excel in “great jobs” so they can support their families and build strong communities.

Woodson, positioning himself as a candidate for change, criticized Datcher’s ties to current Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. He argued that the current administration has failed to address the city’s homicide rates and neglected properties. Woodson said that if people are satisfied with the current situation, they can vote for Datcher, but if they want improvement, it’s necessary to “embrace change.”

Woodson also proposed stronger partnerships with local churches and nonprofits to reduce crime and support families.

Datcher countered that his connections could help secure the resources the district needs, saying that “this is not a one-man band.” He said his campaign has focused on a collaborative approach, promoting for partnerships between city councilors, county commissioners, and state legislators to achieve comprehensive solutions for the district’s challenges.

What happens after today?

Without a Republican nominee, the winner on Tuesday would become the presumptive House District 52 representative.

Will the results alter control of the Legislature?

No. Republicans currently hold 76 of the 105 seats in the lower chamber and 27 of the 35 seats in the upper chamber.

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Kelvin Datcher

Age : 54

Residence : Birmingham

Occupation : Deputy Director of Community Development, Birmingham

Education : B.A., Political Science, Gettysburg College, 1992.

Party : Democratic

Previous political experience : First time candidate

Fundraising : Through July 14, Datcher had raised $156104 and spent $131,802.

Frank Woodson

Age : 62

Residence : Birmingham

Occupation : Nonprofit executive and former manager at UPS

Education : B.A., Communication Arts and English, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1984.

Party : Democratic

Previous political experience : First time candidate

Fundraising :  Through July 5, Woodson had raised $20,434 and spent $24,122. Woodson also loaned his campaign $20,200.

The post Alabama House District 52 Democratic runoff election: A voter’s guide appeared first on Alabama Reflector .