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Who wants to replace Larry Langford on the Jefferson County Commission?
Names that we are hearing in the Parlor as potential candidates include former state representative John Hilliard, Tyrone Williams (a principal in the Birmingham city school system), and the Reverend Tommie L. Lewis of Bethel Baptist Church in Pratt City.
On the subject, The Birmingham News has said:
Some of the names mentioned as potential replacements on the commission are Birmingham Councilman Roderick Royal, former Councilman Elias Hendricks and Richard Finley, head of the Alabama Republican Council, the state’s oldest active Republican group.
From NBC13.com:
While researching this story, NBC13 ran across some possible candidates, who voters mentioned that they would like to see run. The possible candidates are current Birmingham Mayor Bernard Kincaid and Birmingham City Councilman William Bell.
A significant matter to be resolved is whether Gov. Bob Riley will appoint someone to fill the seat or whether there will be a special election. Riley has indicated he plans to appoint a successor. According to The Birmingham News:
But a Jefferson County-only law in the state code calls for a special election when a seat is vacated well before a county election is scheduled. The next election is set for 2010.
“No persons shall be appointed to fill a vacancy,” Act 784 of 1977 reads.
Other laws and court challenges come into play. The article cited above and this one lay out some of the issues. A situation at least somewhat similar occurred in Mobile where Riley’s appointment of a replacement to the Mobile County Commission was overturned by a panel of federal judges. The election to fill that seat was last week.
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Riley has already lost a court challenge over a county commission appointment in Mobile. I’m curious as to why he would continue to push this, particularly since Jefferson County has a law on the books calling for a special election. It seems like a waste of taxpayers’ money.
[...] Danny has more background here. Pop some popcorn and get comfy, folks. Unless Riley concedes, this is going to be an expensive mess for the taxpayers of Alabama. [...]
I’m not sure how this affects things, but if Riley were to appoint someone to the job, it wouldn’t be the first time that would have happened in Jefferson County. After Chris McNair stepped down from the Jefferson County Commission, then-Gov. Don Siegelman appointed Steve Small to fill the spot. No one protested.