Cavanaugh Projected Winner In AL Public Service Commission Race

MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama's Public Service Commission president Twinkle Cavanaugh has been projected to keep her position on the PSC Tuesday as ABC and the Associated Press declared her the winner over challenger Laura Casey, a Democrat.

Cavanaugh, who also served as the executive director and chair of the Alabama Republican Party, has held the position since 2010.

Results as of 10 p.m.:

• Laura Casey: 428,853 votes
• Twinkle Cavanaugh: 844,835 votes

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Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said voter turnout in Alabama looks to be close to 70 percent, higher than the 63 percent the state reported in the 2016 election, and much more than the 30 percent in the primaries this year.

Merrill also said absentee voting requests had passed 300,000 before Thursday's application deadline. More than 240,000 absentee ballots have been returned.

Absentee ballots received by the day of the election Nov. 3 will be opened for tabulation beginning at 7 a.m. that day, according to an order announced by Gov. Kay Ivey in September.

"I commend Governor Ivey for making the wise decision to allow for the processing of absentee ballots to begin at 7 a.m. on Election Day," Merrill said. "This accommodates the anticipated increase of absentee ballots and ensures that Alabama will continue to provide timely, unofficial election results on election night."

Twinkle Cavanaugh

Cavanaugh, an Auburn University graduate who lives in Montgomery, served as deputy chief of staff to former Gov. Bob Riley, and as executive director of the Alabama Republican Party. Cavanaugh ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2018, losing to Will Ainsworth in a runoff. She is the co-owner of Cavanaugh Bradley Animal Hospital and the consulting firm Conservative Solutions.

Laura Casey

Casey is an attorney who recently filed a lawsuit against the PSC when she was barred from live streaming a PSC hearing over social media regarding a service charge on people who have solar panels. Casey was a 2018 Democratic candidate for Alabama State Senate to represent District 15. Casey advanced from the primary on June 5, 2018, but withdrew from the race prior to the general election.