Vote 2009: Last-minute thoughts on a hurry-up mayoral election
Monday, December 7th, 2009Birmingham to choose from 13 candidates Tuesday
For the third time this year, Birmingham voters will visit the polls. Tuesday’s special election focuses on mayor, an office suddenly open after Larry Langford’s federal conviction in October.
We have found that 6 weeks is barely enough time to have an election, much less evaluate more than a dozen candidates.
Even though the winner will hold office for less than 2 years before the next election, much is riding on the outcome.
For starters, the city is in jeopardy. Bernard Kincaid seemed glacial in doing anything to move Birmingham forward. That stasis seems preferable to the rapid plunge into financial chaos and political embarrassment wreaked in just 2 short years by Larry Langford.
His reign of error ended only with the say of 12 jurors. But City Hall is in shambles, as is the public trust.
We’re building a dome, renovating Fair Park Arena and beginning to successfully fight crime. And yet, the budget has been criminally neglected (and perhaps, deliberately fudged). Carole Smitherman spent less than a month as interim mayor before the newly seated council tapped Roderick Royal as council president, thus taking over the interim mayoral duties.
In short, much confusion, little time and wary voters.
‘The candidates have failed
to distinguish themselves.’
The candidates have failed to distinguish themselves. The much heralded Patrick Cooper has raised (and spent) a lot of cash, but by doing so seems to be influenced by out-of-town interests. He missed high-profile forums, which has the odor of the artful dodge. While he made a splash in 2007 by receiving almost 30 percent of the vote, Cooper has done little since then to demonstrate his capacity for leadership.
With Smitherman and William Bell, we have two seasoned politicians who have served as interim mayor, albeit briefly, and lost in a combined five campaigns for the top office. Smitherman, a self-described mother figure, voted with Langford on many budget busters and wants to continue his projects, even as the city goes broke.
Bell, who picked up Langford’s unsolicited endorsement, also seems enmeshed in old school ways, both in campaigning and in office. He needs to continue and finish his work on the Jefferson County Commission: fixing its $3 billion sewer debt calamity.
Steven Hoyt is serving in his second term on council and recently was voted president pro tempore under questionable circumstances (the new acting mayor Royal voted, even though he was not allowed). When given the chance to fix things, he declined. Imagine what he’d do with real power.
Scott Douglas, one of the outsiders, has a good record of service to the city. And while his green platform might work in a more progressive and more solvent city, he seems to have no solution on getting the city’s finances back on track.
Emory Anthony ran twice against longtime mayor Richard Arrington in the early 1990s and lost. The defense attorney wants to bring the city’s finances in order, with transparency and accountability. The question is: Can he back it up?
We aren’t certain. We’re picking a mayor at gunpoint Tuesday, and chances are, we’ll still end up taking a bullet or two.
• • •
Voting takes place from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m. A runoff, if needed, will take place Jan. 19.
Q: Where do I vote?
A: The answer is a call away. Jefferson County: 325-5550.
Or try AlabamaVotes.gov and click on “Search for My Polling Place.”
Join us Tuesday for election results
on Wade on Birmingham.
Remember, if you have problems at your polling place:
- Notify a poll worker immediately.
- Obtain a complaint/evaluation form (or download jpgs of pages 1 and 2). Print it, fill it out, copy and mail it.
- Call the state attorney general at 1-800-831-8814 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Wednesday or fill out this online form.
- Call the secretary of state at 1-800-274-VOTE (8683) or visit her site, StopVoterFraudNow.com.
- And tell the probate court for Jefferson County (325-5203).
- Leave a comment below.
Q. Who’s running for mayor?
A. The 13 candidates …
| Emory Anthony |
William Bell |
T.C. Cannon |
Patrick Cooper |
| Scott Douglas |
Steven Hoyt |
Stephannie Huey |
Edith Mayomi |
| Carole Smitherman |
Jimmy Snow |
Jason Sumners |
Jody Trautwein |
| Harry “Traveling Shoes” Turner |
Note: Ernie Dunn died on Thursday.
Also:
- Birmingham News editorial board endorsement: “(Emory) Anthony brings a regional approach to governing that has been in far too short supply.”
- Kyle Whitmire of the Birmingham Weekly on the financial crisis: “Few candidates in the special-called mayoral election have demonstrated an understanding of what faces the city.”
- One blogger’s take? None of the above.
- Patrick Cooper leads fund-raising, but also campaign debt.
- Pavo Magazine podcast discusses the candidates.
[audio:http://www.pavomag.com/sites/default/files/audio/Mayoral%20Race%2012_2_09%20Edit%201.mp3]
Are you voting? Who has your vote? Vote in the poll above, and leave a comment below.
• • •
More Vote 2009 coverage.
Bowden led Florida State to two national championships in 1993 and 1999 and has never had a losing season there, save for his first season in 1976 at 5-6. The current Seminole team is 6-6, heading to a yet-to-be-decided bowl game.
