MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The Alabama Republican Party said Thursday that election contests have been filed in five legislative primaries, including one where an Alabama Senate incumbent was defeated by a single vote.
State Sen. Tom Whatley of Auburn lost to Jay Hovey, a member of the Auburn City Council, by a single vote, according to election returns.
Contests were also filed in two races – House District 28 and House District 29 – where some voters may have gotten the wrong ballot. Secretary of State John Merrill said the local Board of Registrars failed to accurately sort some voters into the correct legislative district after lawmakers drew new district lines. Merrill said last week they did not know how many votes were affected.
In House District 28, Republican Rep. Gill Isbell of Gadsden lost to Mack Butler, who previously served in the Legislature. But the race is caught in the ballot mix-up. Isbell told The Associated Press this week that, “another election would be the best solution.”
Election challenges were also filed in House District 1 where incumbent Rep. Phillip Pettus defeated challenger Maurice McCaney and House District 2 where a June 21 runoff is scheduled, but there was a tight race between the second and third place finishers.