SB527 Alabama 2010 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Hinton Mitchem
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2010
Title: Marshall Co., circuit and district judges, nonpartisan election, const. amend.
Summary: SB527 would amend the Alabama Constitution to require nonpartisan elections for Marshall County circuit and district judges and establish a dedicated nonpartisan ballot process.
What This Bill Does
It changes how Marshall County judges are elected by removing party affiliation from circuit and district judge races. It creates an Official Nonpartisan Circuit and District Judicial Ballot that lists all candidates and is used in both primary and general elections without party symbols. If a runoff is needed, the runoff candidates would appear on a general election ballot; if there is no opposition in the primary, the race is decided in the general election. It also transfers duties currently handled by political parties to the judge of probate.

Who It Affects
Voters in Marshall County would vote for circuit and district judges on a nonpartisan ballot and use a special ballot process for these races.
Candidates for Marshall County circuit and district judges would run without party affiliation, appear on the nonpartisan ballots, and be affected by the runoff and ballot timing rules; the judge of probate would take over duties previously handled by political parties.

Key Provisions
In Marshall County, circuit and district judicial offices shall be nonpartisan and candidates for those offices shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis.
There shall be a separate Official Nonpartisan Circuit and District Judicial Ballot listing all candidates, without party devices or symbols, designated for circulation during elections.
The Official Nonpartisan Ballot will be used during the primary cycle and a voter may cast a judicial vote without voting in any party primary.
If a runoff is needed for the district or circuit judge positions (or both), the names go on another Official Nonpartisan Circuit and District Judicial Ballot for the general election.
If there is no opposition on the primary ballot for a race, no ballot is issued for that race in the primary; the race is voted on during the general election on the separate nonpartisan ballot.
If no runoff is needed from the primary, the primary winner's name appears on the general election nonpartisan ballot.
All duties and responsibilities under current state law that are delegated to political parties are transferred to the judge of probate.
The amendment shall be interpreted in para materia with Title 17, but those provisions that conflict with the amendment do not apply in Marshall County.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Marshall County