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2018 Alabama gubernatorial election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 2022 →
  Portrait-Governor-Kay-Ivey.jpg Walter Maddox May 2011 (cropped).jpg
Nominee Kay Ivey Walter Maddox
Party Republican Democrat
Popular vote 1,022,457 694,495
Percentage 59.5% 40.4%

Alabama gubernatorial election, 2018.svg
County results
Ivey:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Maddox:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election

Kay Ivey
Republican

Elected Governor

Kay Ivey
Republican

On November 6, 2018 the 2018 Alabama gubernatorial election was held to elect the Governor of Alabama. Incumbent Republican Kay Ivey squared off against Democratic challenger Walter Maddox. Kay Ivey replaced Governor Robert Bentley after he resigned on April 10, 2017. She was running for a full term during this election. Kay achieved that goal and defeated Walter Maddox, who was the mayor of Tuscaloosa. She was sworn in on January 14, 2019.

Primaries

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared
  • Tommy Battle, Mayor of Huntsville
  • Scott Dawson, evangelist
  • Bill Hightower, State Senator
  • Kay Ivey, incumbent governor
  • Michael McAllister, former prison officer (died April 2018)
Withdrew
  • Slade Blackwell, State Senator
  • David Carrington, Jefferson County Commissioner
  • Twinkle Cavanaugh, president of the Public Service Commission (running for Lieutenant Governor)
  • Stacy Lee George, former Morgan County Commissioner and candidate for governor in 2014
  • Josh Jones, businessman
  • John McMillan, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries (running for state treasurer)
Declined
  • Rick Burgess, radio host
  • Bill "Bubba" Bussey, radio host
  • Bradley Byrne, U.S. Representative and candidate for governor in 2010 (running for reelection)
  • Mary Scott Hunter, member of the Alabama State Board of Education (running for the state senate after initially running for Lieutenant Governor)
  • Del Marsh, President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate (running for reelection)
  • Arthur Orr, state senator (running for reelection)
  • Trip Pittman, state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2017
  • Greg Reed, Majority Leader of the Alabama Senate (running for reelection)
  • Luther Strange, former U.S. Senator and former attorney general of Alabama
  • Tommy Tuberville, former Auburn University football coach
  • Cam Ward, state senator (running for reelection)
  • Jim Zeigler, State Auditor of Alabama (running for reelection)

Results

Alabama gubernatorial Republican primary, 2018
Results by county:
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kay Ivey (incumbent) 330,743 56.1%
Republican Tommy Battle 146,887 24.9%
Republican Scott Dawson 79,302 13.5%
Republican Bill Hightower 29,275 5.0%
Republican Michael McAllister (deceased) 3,326 0.6%
Total votes 589,533 100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared
  • Sue Bell Cobb, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
  • Christopher A. Countryman, equality activist, former juvenile corrections officer and former pastor
  • James C. Fields, former state representative and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014
  • Walt Maddox, Mayor of Tuscaloosa
  • Doug "New Blue" Smith, nominee for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries in 2014
  • Anthony White, ordained minister
Withdrew
Declined

Results

Alabama gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2018
Results by county:
Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Walt Maddox 154,559 54.6%
Democratic Sue Bell Cobb 82,043 29.0%
Democratic James Fields 22,635 8.0%
Democratic Anthony White 9,677 3.4%
Democratic Doug "New Blue" Smith 9,244 3.3%
Democratic Christopher Countryman 4,923 1.7%
Total votes 283,081 100.0%

Independents

Candidates

Declared
  • Tony Hewitt Jr., police officer
  • Eric Lathan, security guard, Iraq War veteran and candidate for the Jefferson County Commission in 2010
Declined
  • Mark Johnston, pastor, businessman and summer camp executive director

General election

After both Kay Ivey and Walter Maddox won the nominations for governor from their respective parties the focused turned to the general election where the two faced off. Throughout the race Ivey held the lead over Maddox and when election day arrived she won the race. Maddox won 14 counties including his home county of Tuscaloosa County by 1 vote. Kay Ivey won the remaining 53 counties which included the likes of Mobile County and Madison County.

Results

2018 Alabama gubernatorial election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kay Ivey (incumbent) 1,022,457 59.46% -4.10%
Democratic Walter Maddox 694,495 40.39% +4.15%
Republican hold
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