Woodfin Wins. Birmingham Voters Deny Bell Another Term
Birmingham voters on Tuesday elected Randall Woodfin the city’s new mayor. Woodfin took 59 percent of the vote to incumbent Mayor William Bell’s 41 percent, according to unofficial results. The two candidates took different approaches as they vied for the mayor’s seat in the weeks after the August municipal election. That race resulted in a runoff. Bell touted his experience while Woodfin, 36, promoted change.
Our Revolution, a group that emerged from the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders to support progressive leaders, invested heavily in Woodfin’s campaign. The group sent more than 11,000 get-out-the-vote text messages and made hundreds of phone calls to Woodfin’s would-be constituents.
The group’s president, Nina Turner, said in a statement she expects Woodfin to be committed to enacting a progressive agenda serving the needs of all the city’s residents, echoing a campaign promise of Woodfin’s. Disparities around the city when it came to crime and revitalization were a common theme during the campaign.
Bell didn’t immediately concede the election Tuesday night, but eventually he said Birmingham residents spoke at the ballot box. The 68-year-old has been mayor since 2009. Though he won more boxes than Woodfin in the August 22 election, Bell won far fewer during the runoff, including his home precinct of Legion Field.
Woodfin is set to begin his term November 28.
Other Election Results:
City Council
Birmingham City Council Johnathan Austin lost his seat to challenger Darrell O’Quinn in the District 5 race. Quinn trailed Austin at first, but came out ahead later with almost 52 percent of the vote.
In District 2, Kim Rafferty lost her seat to Hunter Williams, who took 71 percent of the vote.
In Distrcit 9, John Hilliard narrowly beat Roderick Royal — 50.58 to 49.42.
Board of Education
District 1
Douglas Lee Ragland – 51.7 percent
Cedric Small – 48.3 percent
District 4
Daagye Hendricks – 51.2 percent
Edward Maddox – 48.8 percent
District 5
David McKinney – 43.4 percent
Michael Millsap – 56.6 percent
District 7
Patricia Spigner McAdory – 60 percent
Walter Wilson – 40 percent
District 8
Patricia Bozeman-Henderson – 36.3 percent
Sonja Q. Smith – 63.7 percent
Death, love, sex, mistakes, marriage and ‘More.’ Pulp is back after 2 decades
Pulp was the wittiest, bitterest star in the Britpop constellation. On More, the band's first new album in 24 years, singer Jarvis Cocker is learning to trust his feelings.
Vance voices loyalty to Trump but says he ‘understands’ Musk’s frustration
As the Trump-Musk feud escalated, JD Vance signaled loyalty to Trump during a recent podcast appearance. At the same time, the vice president said he understands Musk's frustration.
Coco Gauff wins the French Open to claim her 2nd Grand Slam title
The 21-year-old American star battled back over three sets to defeat the world's top-ranked player, Aryna Sabalenka. Gauff is the first American to win at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2015.
Israel says it has retrieved the body of a Thai hostage in Gaza
Israel said it had retrieved the body of Nattapong Pinta, who was abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war. He had come to Israel to work in agriculture.
A former police chief who escaped from an Arkansas prison is captured
A former police chief and convicted killer known as the "Devil in the Ozarks" was captured by law enforcement 1.5 miles from the prison he escaped from following a nearly two-week-long manhunt.
Should federal rental aid come with a time limit? Here’s how it works in one place
The Trump administration wants to allow a cutoff date for housing subsidies. The plan is deeply controversial, but Delaware offers a potential model for success.
