MONTGOMERY, Ala. — There will be a special election in December to elect a permanent replacement for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by now-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Gov. Kay Ivey rescheduled the special election Tuesday after calls and lawsuits from lawmakers and state officials who felt the previous scheduling was unlawful and unfair.
Her office said the decision was made so the election would “adhere with state law.”
Former Gov. Robert Bentley previously scheduled the election to coincide with the 2018 statewide general election, but Ivey reversed that decision Tuesday. Instead of November 2018, the general election will be held in December 2017 — almost a year ahead of the prior schedule.
“This special election will remove any cloud of doubt that might have been associated with the previous process,” Ivey said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “This is the people’s decision.”
Primary elections for the Senate seat will be held on Aug. 15, 2017, and runoffs — if needed — would be held on Sept. 26, 2017. The statewide special election for the seat will be on Dec. 12, 2017.
“I promised to steady our ship of state. This means following the law, which clearly states the people should vote for a replacement U.S. Senator as soon as possible,” Ivey said. “The new U.S. Senate special election dates this year are a victory for the rule of law.”
At her first press conference last week, Ivey appeared apprehensive about moving the election but said she had not made a final decision. She promised to weigh both sides, including how much money changing the election date would cost taxpayers.
“There’s a limited time available to make a reasonable decision on that,” the new governor said last week. “If we move the date, it will cost about $15 million that will come straight out of the General Fund budget. So, while I have some concerns about the whole situation, I have to also be very mindful of the impact it will have.”
Legal concerns appeared to have outweighed concerns of cost.
“This is not a hastily made decision. I consulted legal counsel, the finance director, Speaker McCutcheon, Senate President Del Marsh and both budget chairmen since the cost to the General Fund could be great. However, following the law trumps the expense of a special election,” Ivey said.
According to estimates from the Secretary of State’s Office, the special election will likely cost between $10 million and $15 million. Secretary of State John Merrill said he is hopeful that the cost will be closer to $10 million.
In February, Bentley appointed then-Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange to the seat formerly held by Sessions. The decision came under fire because Strange’s office at the time was conducting an investigation into the former governor’s relationship with a top political staffer, Rebekah Mason, with whom Bentley was suspected of having an affair.
Strange has said he will run for re-election in the special election.
“As I’ve said for months, I’m a candidate, and I’m ready to run whether the election is next month or next year,” Strange said. “As the only announced candidate for this office, I will spend the next several months being the best Senator I can be, upholding Alabama values and working with President Donald Trump to drain the swamp and help make America great again. The people of Alabama deserve nothing less, and ultimately it will be up to them to decide who will represent them in Washington.”
Some Democrats and Republicans, who have both fought Bentley’s special election date, praised Ivey’s decision to move the election up.
“Governor Ivey’s announcement this morning puts us one step closer to turning the page on this ugly and shameful period in our state history,” said House Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa. “This demonstrates a departure from the backroom politics that we have seen for too long in Montgomery. The people of Alabama have the right to decide who represents our state, and now they will have that opportunity.”
Prospective candidates must file with their political parties by May 17, 2017, at 5 p.m. Independents and minor party candidates can file their paperwork to run until Aug. 15, 2017, according to Ivey’s proclamation.
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