Walker County GOP candidates disqualified
Walker County Republican Party Chairman Dorman Grace said Friday afternoon that nine local candidates were automatically disqualified by the state from running in 2024 because they failed to file ethics forms by a deadline.
District 3 Walker County Commissioner Jim Borden is now uncontested for re-election, since his opponents didn't file ethics forms.
"Some of them did not file in a timely manner, so they are in non-compliance with state law," Grace said.
It had been said that some candidates might be pulled for failing to file a Statement of Economic Interests with the Alabama State Ethics Commission after qualifying. Qualifying ended on Nov. 10.
Grace said three commission candidates and six constable candidates did not file the required ethics reports to the state by the deadline, making them, as the state said, "non-certifiable." The nine candidates - who have all been contacted - will not be listed for the March 5 party primary, although they can be write-in candidates in the Nov. 5 General Election.
A two-page Nov. 21 state Ethics Commission report was sent to the local party and released to the Eagle on Friday, Dec. 1. According to the report, one candidate for District 1 of the county commission, Jason Akins of Jasper, filed his form too late. The other candidates involved did not send any.
The other commission candidates were Brian Bridges of Oakman and Wayne Matthews of Jasper in District 3, the only opponents for Borden. Unless a write-in candidacy is successful - which is usually a long-shot effort - Borden will be re-elected. District 4 Commissioner Steven Aderholt also has no opposition, leaving the seats for the chairman race and Districts 1 and 2 up for grabs.
With District 1 Commissioner Keith Davis withdrawing from his race on Friday, mainly due to health reasons, that leaves Greg Barnes and John Dunagan as the remaining candidates for that race.
The Walker County Democratic Party only listed two local constable candidates for the local 2024 elections: Allen Hinds, Beat 26 and Terry Pickett, Beat 37, both of whom have no opposition in either party.
State ethics officials said the six Republican constable candidates who did not file ethics forms include Jeff Guidry, Precinct 7; Wes Borden, Precinct 12; Jerald Watts, Precinct 21; David Grace, Precinct 28; Albert Steadman Jr., Precinct 44; and James H.E. Miller, Precinct 45. Guidry, Borden, Watts, Grace, and Miller were all without opposition, and Watts, Grace and Miller were incumbents.
Steadman's disqualification means Precinct 44 incumbent Larry C. Odom, the head of the Walker County Constables Association, also has no opposition.
According to an election guide on the Secretary of State's website, "C)andidates at every level of government must file a STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS form with the State Ethics Commission no more than five (5) days after the date they file their qualifying papers with the appropriate election official. (§ 36-25-15) This form covers the previous calendar year. A candidate who has a current STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS form on file with the Ethics Commission does not have to file a duplicate form."
Grace said Friday the candidates had to file within five days to remain a candidate. The state Ethics Commission sent the report regarding all the candidates on whether they were certifiable or not based on their ethics filings.
The Walker County Republican Executive Committee met on Tuesday, Nov. 28, when Grace told the committee that nine candidates were not in non-compliance. A vote by the committee was not needed.
"It's not our job. They removed themselves," he said, saying the ethics report to the party made the non-certification automatic by state law. "I just informed the Executive Committee these were in non-compliance."