A voter’s guide to the House District 10 special election
House District 10 candidates Marilyn Lands (left) and Teddy Powell (right) (Courtesy of Marilyn Lands and Teddy Powell)
Voters in southern Madison County go to the polls Tuesday to choose a representative for Alabama House District 10.
Madison City Councilman Teddy Powell, the Republican nominee, will face Democratic nominee Marilyn Lands, who ran in 2022, in a rare competitive battle for a seat in the Alabama Legislature.
Elijah Boyd, who appeared as a Libertarian candidate in 2022, will not be on the ballot this year. He said the party wasn’t aware of major party status until after the deadline to certify primary candidates.
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When do polls open?
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Where do I find my polling place?
The Alabama Secretary of State’s website allows you to check voter registration and the location of your polling place. You can find it here.
What do I need to vote?
Voters must present a valid photo ID before voting. Valid forms of ID include:
Alabama driver’s license (not expired or expired less than 60 days)
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency digital driver’s license
Alabama Non-Driver ID (not expired or expired less than 60 days)
Alabama Photo Voter ID card
State-issued ID (Alabama or any other state)
Federal-issued ID
U.S. Passport
Employee ID from the federal government; state of Alabama; county; municipality, board or other entity of Alabama
Student or employee ID from a public or private post-secondary educational institution in Alabama or other states (including colleges, universities, postgraduate technical and professional schools)
Digital student or employee ID from a public or private post-secondary educational institution in Alabama or other states (including colleges, universities, postgraduate technical and professional schools)
Military ID
Tribal ID
Where is the district located?
House District 10 covers south Huntsville, southern Madison County and parts of Madison city.
How did the seat become vacant?
Former Rep. David Cole, R-Madison, pleaded guilty to charges of voter fraud over allegations of knowingly voting at a polling place where he was not authorized to vote, and resigned the seat in August after pleading guilty.
Does the seat have a partisan lean?
House District 10 has been in Republican hands for years. But Democrats have recently made inroads. Cole got 52% of the vote to Lands’ 45% in 2022. Boyd got 3%.
What issues dominate the race?
Lands’ campaign emphasizes reproductive rights. She criticizes the state’s near-total abortion ban and the state Supreme Court’s February ruling effectively banning in vitro fertilization. (The Legislature has passed a law attempting to provide legal protections to IVF clinics.) Lands said overturning the state’s ban is a priority. That will be difficult in a Republican majority- Legislature, and Lands said that she would initially focus on creating exceptions for rape and incest.
Lands, who had an abortion due to a nonviable pregnancy in the past, stresses the urgency of accessible reproductive healthcare to prevent severe health consequences for women. She said the state needs to better fund daycare programs, as well as incentivizing businesses to offer daycare programs to employees.
Powell, focusing on economic development and infrastructure, said he wants to find solutions to lower costs and attract investment to Alabama and continue growth in the district. He emphasized the need to better allocate tax revenue from the state’s growth to fund services and infrastructure projects in northern Alabama.
Powell supports Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), while acknowledging divided opinions within his district. He emphasized balancing between improving educational opportunities and supporting the district’s public schools, which he holds in high regard.
Lands and Powell share common ground on several issues. Both recognized the need of expanding access to child care. They were also in agreement on gambling, claiming that gaming already happens and that they support state regulation.
What happens after today?
The candidate will be elected to represent the district.
Will the results alter control of the House?
No. Republicans currently hold 76 of the 105 seats in the lower chamber of the state Legislature and 26 of the 35 seats in the upper chamber.
Candidates for House District 10
House District 10 candidate Marilyn Lands. (Courtesy of Marilyn Lands)
Marilyn Lands
Age: 65
Residence: Huntsville
Occupation: Licensed professional counselor
Education: B.S., Business Administration, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 1981; M.S., Business Administration and Management, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 1987; M.S., Counseling Psychology, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, 1995.
Party: Democratic
Previous political experience/campaign: Democratic candidate, Alabama House of Representatives, 2022.
Fundraising: Through Sunday, Lands had raised $184,703 and spent $156,856. She had $24,247 on hand as of March 15.
House District 10 candidate Teddy Powell. (Courtesy of Teddy Powell)
Teddy Powell
Age: 50
Residence: Madison
Occupation: Former budget analyst with the U.S. Department of Defense
Education: Associate of Applied Science, Business and General Studies, Bevill State Community College, 1996; B.S., Finance and Business Administration, Birmingham-Southern College, 1998; Master of Business Administration, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 2010.
Party: Republican
Previous political experience/campaign: Madison City Councilman, District 3, 2016-present.
Fundraising: Through March 4, Powell had raised $157,340 and spent $153,848. Powell had $2,931 on hand as of March 15.
The post A voter’s guide to the House District 10 special election appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
