Watkins upsets incumbent Keith in District 1 city council runoff

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Unofficial results show Michelle Watkins has upset incumbent Devyn Keith in the Huntsville City Council District 1 runoff.

In the run-off, Watkins secured 2,278 votes or 54.39 percent to Keith’s 1,910 votes or 45.61 percent of the total votes cast.

After the results were in Watkins said she could not have had such a good showing without the support she received from family and friends.

“To my family and friends, your unwavering belief in me has been my source of strength.,” she said. “To the volunteers who tirelessly worked alongside me and to the countless community members who cast their votes and shared the vision to our city, the victory belongs to us all… Today’s achievement… It reminds of the work that still lies ahead.”

Keith released a statement following the tallying of the unofficial results saying in part that he is grateful for the love and support he has received from the community.

Here is that entire statement:

“I am so grateful for all of the love and support from my community throughout this election. For those I’ve let down or disappointed in any way, I truly am sorry.

While the campaign was exhausting, I got the chance to connect with so many wonderful people in my District.

The past 8 years of service to my community have been an honor that I’ll always cherish. We accomplished so much together in such a short time. We changed the conversation about North Huntsville. We made it a place that people were excited to visit and a place people wanted to live.  We decreased crime, increased property values, made new economic investments, created new homes, new roads, new grocery stores, and created an overall better quality of life. I am so proud of the work we’ve done.

I have been and will always be an advocate for my community, so to those that support me, please know I’ll never stop fighting on your behalf. But now is the time to heal the district. We need to come alongside the new City Council representative, Michelle Watkins, and Board of Education representative, Chaundra Jones, to keep moving the district forward. We also must hold them accountable, because holding public office is a privilege that no one should take lightly.

All in all, I want to say thank you.

No matter what seat I hold or what job I have moving forward, I will proudly be just a kid from Huntsville, Alabama….’The Best place just this side of Heaven.'”

Incumbent Huntsville City Councilman Devyn Keith

The runoff comes after no winner was declared in the three-way race for Council District 1 on August 27. Incumbent Keith took on challengers Watkins and Reggie McKenzie in that race. While Watkins received the most votes in that general election, no candidate received the majority required to win.

According to numbers provided by the City of Huntsville, about 4,197 people voted in Tuesday’s run-off. That’s about 10.94 percent of voters registered in the district. That turnout percentage is higher than the percentage in August, but that number also included voters from District 5.

Since then Keith and Watkins have continued to make their case to voters in District 1.

Keith has touted his record – saying that he’s been able to transform the community during his eight years in office. He said while there is still more work to do, his record speaks for itself.

Watkins, who serves as District 1’s representative on the Huntsville City School Board, has been looking to shake up leadership in the city. During the campaign, she made a focus on infrastructure and the need to better build up the district.

While McKenzie did not make the runoff he also continued to be involved, endorsing Keith just one week before the election.

Both candidate’s prior legal issues also became an issue during the campaign.

Last year, Keith pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges for stealing items from local Walmarts. He said that the incident clouded his accomplishments. Keith said he has been working to get past that issue, which was a first-time offense. He has instead focused on ongoing projects and constituent concerns.

Watkins had her own issues in the past put her under the microscope as well. She was arrested, but later acquitted at trial in 2019 on a harassment charge during her time with the school board.

During the campaign, Watkins has continually stressed the difference between her situation and Keith’s, noting that she was acquitted by a judge.

The official results will be canvased in a special city council meeting at Noon on Tuesday, Oct. 1, and the city will swear in elected officials during an oath of office ceremony at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4.

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