Three House Districts In Vestavia On The June 5 Ballot

VESTAVIA HILLS, AL - Of the five House of Representatives districts and three Senate districts that represent Vestavia Hills in the Alabama Legislature, more than half will not have a primary election, since only three of those district elections have multiple candidates from a single party in the running.

All three of the Senate seats representing Vestavia have either a single candidate for each party, or, in the case of Senate District 20, Democrat Linda Coleman-Mason will run unopposed in November. In District 16, Democrat Laura Casey will face Republican Dan Roberts in the general election to fill the seat vacated by Slade Blackwell. District 16 features long-time incumbent Republican Jabo Waggoner challenged by Democrat Lindsey Deckard.

The three House primary elections for Vestavia Hills involve districts 45, 47 and 48.

District 45 features a Republican primary election between incumbent Dickie Drake and Ted Crockett. Crockett made a national name for himself during the 2017 special Senate election when he represented Roy Moore on CNN and and maintained that elected officials are legally obligated to be sworn into office with a Bible. He is a former Shelby County Commissioner, and is running for Senate on a platform to alleviate rising sewer rates and improve infrastructure.

Drake is from Leeds, and has served in the Legislature since 2011. He is a businessman and is retired from The United States Air Force.

House District 47, which was vacated by Vestavia Hills resident Jack Williams as Williams is bidding for a seat on the Jefferson County Commission, will feature a Republican election between Kirkland T. (Tom) Byars and David Wheeler. Wheeler is a past chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Committee and lost in the primary to Williams in 2014. Byars is a businessman living in Vestavia Hills.

In House District 48, incumbent Republican Jim Carns will face newcomer William Wentowski in the primary. Carns has previously served from 1990 to 2006 in the House when he decided to run for Jefferson County Commissioner and was elected in 2006 serving one term and then ran again for his former House seat in 2012. Wentowski, a Mountain Brook native, is a marketing executive and running for office for the first time. He has touted a campaign based on education funding, building a tech economy in Alabama and tax reform.

Polls will be open June 5 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. To find your polling location you may visit the Secretary of State website.

Photo by Michael Seale/Patch