The Greene County Democrat

Tag: election

  • Op-Ed: Choices matter for the Alabama PSC – More of the same or a fresh new voice

    Op-Ed: Choices matter for the Alabama PSC – More of the same or a fresh new voice

    Submitted By Sheila McNeil, Candidate for Alabama PSC Place 2

    Alabama stands at a crossroads. Like much of America, we are living through a moment defined by rising costs, political dysfunction, and a growing sense that the systems meant to protect us are no longer working.  The Alabama Public Service Commission is one of the clearest examples of how our state has drifted toward crisis and how urgently we need a course correction. 

    This is a state with extraordinary potential. We rank 14th in national energy production, yet too many families struggle to keep the lights on. We build the rockets that carry America into space, yet our schools rank 44th.  We attract billion-dollar industries, yet our economy ranks 36th, and our healthcare system ranks 40th. These contradictions are not the result of a lack of talent, resources, or hard work. They reflect leadership that has not consistently put the people of Alabama first. 

    Even Alabama’s own elected officials have acknowledged the seriousness of the problem. Senator Katie Britt  recently stated, “Our electrical rates are the highest in the Southeast.” Independent national data shows that  Alabama’s electricity rates are the third-highest in the entire country. For a state that produces so much energy,  this reality is difficult to justify. 

    Meanwhile, our neighbors in Georgia have shown what happens when voters demand accountability. In 2025,  Georgia’s Public Service Commission underwent a historic transformation. After years of public frustration over rising utility bills, opaque rate cases, and the ballooning costs of major projects like Plant Vogtle,  Georgians pushed for change. The result was a Commission more responsive to public concerns about transparency, affordability, and oversight. Georgia did not get there overnight. It happened because residents refused to accept a system that was not working for them. 

    Alabama, however, is moving in the opposite direction. 

    In 2026, our legislature passed HB 475, a sweeping restructuring of the Public Service Commission. Instead of expanding public access or strengthening oversight, HB 475 consolidated authority, reduced transparency requirements, and altered internal PSC processes in ways that critics argue make it harder for the public to understand or influence decisions. The bill moved quickly, with limited public debate, despite its enormous implications for how utility regulation will function for years to come. At a time when Alabamians are already paying some of the highest electricity bills in the country, HB 475 makes it even harder for the public to see how decisions are made or to hold regulators accountable. 

    That is why I filed a federal lawsuit challenging HB 475. When a law restructures an entire regulatory body in the middle of an active election, after candidates have qualified, paid their fees, and begun campaigning, it raises serious constitutional concerns. My lawsuit argues that HB 475 disrupts the electoral process,  undermines equal protection, and threatens the voting rights of Alabamians who deserve a stable, transparent,  and fair system of utility oversight. This is not just a legal fight. It is a fight for every family struggling with high bills, every community demanding accountability, and every voter who expects the rules of an election to 

    remain consistent from start to finish. HB 475 is more than a policy disagreement. It is a fundamental question of whether Alabama’s government will operate in the sunlight or behind closed doors. 

    These are serious times, and serious times demand serious leadership. Not excuses. Not distractions. Not more of the same. We must ask ourselves: 

    Is your life better? Are your utility bills lower? Are your children receiving the education they deserve? Are you more hopeful about Alabama’s future? 

    If the answer is no, then it is time to stop settling. 

    Many Alabamians have already seen cuts to SNAP and Medicaid. Families are struggling under rising utility costs. Seniors are worried about threats to Social Security and Medicare. Veterans, farmers, and small businesses are navigating economic pressures without the support they need.  

    When is enough enough? 

    Alabama cannot afford the status quo. Our state has waited long enough for leadership that reflects the full strength, diversity, and potential of its people. Real change is not about protecting entrenched interests or maintaining old power structures. Real change is about making life better for every Alabamian, including working families, seniors, veterans, farmers, small business owners, and young people who deserve a future right here at home. 

    Our diversity of experience, geography, background, and perspective is one of our greatest strengths. When  Alabama embraces that diversity, we win. History proves it. Alabama football did not become a national powerhouse until it opened its doors to every athlete capable of contributing to excellence. When we include more voices, we build stronger teams, stronger institutions, and a stronger state. 

    Alabama has everything it needs to lead. What we’ve lacked is leadership willing to put the people first. It is time to stop accepting less than we deserve. It is time to move forward with policies rooted in transparency,  accountability, and fairness. It is time for a fresh new voice committed to building a better Alabama that works for all of us. 

    Sheila McNeil 

    Candidate for Alabama PSC Place 2 

    256-384 4914 

    info@mcneilforpsc2.com 

    mcneilforpsc2.com

  • Run-off yields lower turnout than primary

    Run-off yields lower turnout than primary

    This past Tuesday, June 16th, Greene County held a run-off election for the Greene County Commission and one Democratic Senate seat. Only 1,578 of the 6,332 registered voters participated in the run-off.

    In the race for County Commission, District 1, incumbent Garria Spencer received 230 votes (55.69%) to Larry Smith with 183 votes (44.31%). For County Commission, District 3, incumbent Latasha Johnson received 269 (48.12 %) and Jacqueline Stewart 290 (55.69 %). Spencer and Stewart will serve a four-year term alongside Smith, Tennyson, and Hodges after the November election. Jacqueline Stewart was endorsed by the Alabama New South Alliance (ANSA) for this race. Johnson did not attend the ANSA endorsement meeting.

    For state races, Everett Wess, a democratic candidate for United States Senator, had 688 votes (53.33%) to Dakarai Larriett’s 602 (46.67%). Wess will be running against republican nominee Barry Moore for the Senate seat. Wes Allen, republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor, won in Greene County with 67 (52.76 %) votes to John Wahl’s 60 (47.24%). Allen is the current president of the Republican New South Coalition.

    Black and white portrait of a man in a suit and tie, looking directly at the camera.
    Garria Spencer District 1
    Jacqueline Stewart District 3

    Election Summary Results

    Greene County June16 Run-Off SummaryDownload
  • Supreme Court lets Alabama speed adoption of congressional map eliminating a majority-Black district

    Supreme Court lets Alabama speed adoption of congressional map eliminating a majority-Black district

    by Lawrence Hurley, NBC News

    WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday removed an obstacle to Alabama’s using a new congressional map in this year’s election that would eliminate one of the state’s two majority-Black districts.

    The court, over the objection of its liberal members, sent litigation over the Republican-drawn map back to the lower court, which could speed up the state’s effort to use its map.

    The state has been battling civil rights plaintiffs over its congressional map for years, with a focus on whether a second majority-Black district was required to comply with the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

    The latest flurry of court filings came in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling on April 29 in a case from Louisiana that undermined a key provision of the law, making it much easier for states to draw districts that dilute minority voting rights.

    The court fast-tracked the Alabama case a week after a similar decision in the Louisiana dispute. Both decisions are a boon to Republicans, who are locked in a redistricting war with Democrats triggered by President Donald Trump, with control of the House at stake.

    In a dissenting opinion, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the court action was “inappropriate and will cause only confusion as Alabamians begin to vote in the elections scheduled for next week.”

    The Alabama litigation includes a claim that the state’s favored map intentionally discriminates against Black voters, a finding that may not be affected by the Louisiana ruling, Sotomayor added.

    Alabama’s appeal of the lower court ruling that invalidated its map was on hold at the Supreme Court while it decided the Louisiana case. As soon as the ruling was issued, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall asked the justices to act quickly on its appeal so the state can move forward with using its preferred map.

    The Legislature has already passed legislation, signed into law by Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, that would push back the state’s primary elections, which were originally due to take place May 19.

    The Alabama litigation dates to the map the state drew immediately after the 2020 census, which included one majority-Black district. The state, which has a population that is more than a quarter Black, has seven congressional districts.

    Civil rights plaintiffs successfully challenged that map, winning a surprising ruling at the Supreme Court in June 2023.

    The state then sought to try again, drawing a new map — the one the state currently wants to use — that still included one majority-Black district, but the Supreme Court rejected that effort, too, in September 2023. 

    That led to a court-drawn map with two majority-Black districts’ being used in the 2024 election. Democrats won both races.

  • Re-Elect Ms. Carrie Dancy, A Voice for the People

    Re-Elect Ms. Carrie Dancy, A Voice for the People

    Serving this community on the Greene County School Board for many years hasn’t just been a job for me; It has been a calling. As I seek re-election, I don’t do so claiming to be perfect. I do so as a leader who has been tested, who has learned from the past, and who is more determined that ever to make a lasting difference for our students and our families.

    Over the years, I have had to make difficult choices. I am fully aware that some of those decisions have been met with disagreement. In public services, there is rarely a path that pleases everyone, but there is always a part that puts the people first.

    When I cast a vote, I am not looking at personal gain, politics, or the easiest way out. I am looking at the faces of the children in our classrooms and the taxpayers who fund their future. My “past” in the office is a record of someone willing to take the heat if it means standing up for what I believe in right. My goal has never been to be the most popular person in the room – it has been to be the most principled.

    I have always believed in transparency and growth. While I’ve had my share of challenges, I have worked tirelessly to maintain a clean slate and uphold the integrity of this board, I don’t run from my history; I use it as foundation to be better, sharper and more dedicated every single day. I am not rich. I am a representative for the people. I am the voice of community.

    Keep a “clean house” isnt’ just a phrase to me it’s a commitment to ensuring that our school system operates with the highest standards. You deserve a representative who is as hard on themselves as they are on the system they oversee.

    We are at a crossroad in our district. Now is not the time for guesswork or on the-job-training. My years of experience mean I know how to navigate the complexties of our budget, how to support our teachers, and to ensure every student-regardless of their background- has a fair shot at success.

    I am re-running because I want to make a difference. I have the track record proves that I have made a diference. I have the energy of a newcomer and the wisdom of a veteran. I am asking for your vote not just because of where we’ve been, but because of where I know we can go together.

    Let’s keep working. Let’s keep pushing, and above all, let’s keep putting our people first.

    This is your candidate for re-election for Greene County School Board District 5, Ms. Carrie Dancy.

  • Tonjula Carey holds kickoff rally in Boligee for her campaign to be District Judge

    Tonjula Carey holds kickoff rally in Boligee for her campaign to be District Judge

    by John Zippert, co-owner

    On Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Boligee Town Hall, Attorney Tonjula Carey held a campaign kickoff for her run for Greene County District Judge. 200 friends and supporters from around the county attended the kickoff rally and enjoyed a dinner that was served after the program.
    Tonjula Carey is running for the Democratic nomination for the Greene County District Judge position, which will be vacant because the current District Judge, Lillie Osborne, is retiring. Carey is running against Rob Lee, a Eutaw based lawyer. His grandfather was Bill Lee, the last white Sheriff of Greene County prior to the election of Thomas Gilmore, as the first Black Sheriff of Greene County in 1970.

    Several friends and family members spoke in favor of Tonjula Carey and her support for them as well as her legal knowledge. Attorney Glenn McCord, who practices in Greene and Sumter counties said he was proud to support her for the position. “Although some will say she is too young and does not have the experience, I have watched her practice law in Greene County courts and she is well qualified. We need to put a Black person like her on the bench.”

    Tonjula Carey then spoke and introduced herself to the people present. “My family has lived in Greene County for generations. When I was six years old my mother moved me to Birmingham but I have come back often to visit and work in Greene County. I attended the University of Alabama for my undergraduate degree and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law Texas Southern University for my law degree in 2021. I have been practicing law since then in Alabama and Greene County.

    “My motto is fairness, integrity and concern for the people of Greene County and rendering service to them in their everyday struggles and challenges. I cannot afford to buy your votes, I can only ask that you support me in this primary election on May 19 and I will help and serve you as District Judge after that.”

    Judge Lillie Osborne also spoke to support Tonjula Carey. Osborne said, “Don’t say she is not ready. She has more than the four years of legal experience that is required to run for this position. I want someone to replace me that shares my passion for the people, especially the children of Greene County.”

  • Cockrell wins run-off election for District 2 school board seat

    kkCockrell

    Kashaya “Newt” Cockrell won the District 2 school board seat in a run-off election held Tuesday, April 12, 2016.  Cockrell secured the District 2 school board position with a total of 189 (52%) votes to Madylen Thomas’ 173 (48%) total votes.
    Cockrell and Thomas led the slate of five candidates vying for the open seat in the Primary Election on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Cockrell will hold this position on the Democrat’s Party slate for the November 1, 2016 General Election. She is currently unopposed in the General Election. After the vote count was reported, Cockrell said “ I want to thank all those who helped in this election and all those who voted for me. I did not win by myself, it was because of a community effort. I ran to help and support the children of Greene County and provide a brighter educational future for all of them.
    Cockrell is a lifelong resident of Greene County with three children, two of whom are enrolled in the Greene County school system. She is employed as finance manager with the Greene County Housing Authority and also works with agency’s youth department.

  • Clinton and Trump win Alabama and Greene County; Zippert elected to Greene County School Board – District 1; Runoff in District 2 – Madelyn Thomas and Kashaya Cockrell

    Hillary Clinton, Gregory Griggers, Carol P. Zippert, Madelyn Thomas, Kashaya Cockrell

    Yesterday on “Super Tuesday” in the Democratic Primary election, Hillary Clinton led the state with 309,928 (78%) to Bernie Sanders with 76,399 (19%). In Greene County, Clinton garnered 2716 (90%) votes to 213 for Bernie Sanders (7%).
    In the Republican Primary, Donald J. Trump led the field with 371,735 (43%) of the votes. Cruz was a distant second with 180,608 (21%), Rubio with 159,802 (19%), Carson 87,517 (10%) and Kasich 37,500 (4%) rounded out the field.
    In Greene County, Trump led as well with 147 (54%) of the total 273 Republican votes cast in the primary.
    In the 17th Judicial Circuit District Attorney contest that serves three counties – Greene, Marengo and Sumter, incumbent Gregory Griggers was reelected with 6,873 (56.5%) votes to 5,281 (43.5%) for Barrown Lankster. Griggers carried all three counties. In Greene County, Griggers received 1439 votes to 1237 for Lankster.
    Carol P. Zippert was elected to the Greene County Board of Education in District 1. Zippert received 376 (62%) of the votes to 235 (38%) for challenger Kiasha Underwood Lavender. Zippert carried the Courthouse, Mantua Knoxville and the Absentee Box. Lavender led in Union and Jena precincts.
    In District 2, for the Greene County School Board there was a five person race which resulted in a run-off between Madelyn Thomas with 138 (27.7%) votes and Kashaya Cockrell with 113 (22.7%). Latoya “Mimi” Pelt received 102 (20.5%), Brandon Meriwether 76 (15.3%) and Robert “Coach” Kimbrough 69 (13.8%). The run-off is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12, 2016.
    In the race for U. S. Senator, incumbent Richard Shelby was nominated in the Republican primary and Ron Crumpton was nominated over Charles Nana in the Democratic primary.
    In the vote on the Constitutional Amendment to allow district attorneys and circuit clerks to participate in the state retirement system, it was passed in Greene County by a vote of 2,254 (82%) for; 492 (18%) against. Statewide this amendment was approved 679,956 (63%) to 402,060 (37%).