Ballot Measures, July 15, 2014
Alabama voters decided 1 statewide ballot measure on July 15, 2014.
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Amendment 1 | Ends the assessment refund for cotton producers who do not participate in the assessment program | Passed (67.08% yes) |
General Election, November 4, 2014
Alabama held its general election on November 4, 2014, deciding 140 legislative seats and 7 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans built on the supermajorities they first won in 2010, reaching 72-33 in the House and 26-8-1 in the Senate, and kept every statewide office.
- Gov. Robert J. Bentley (R) won a second term by about 27 points over Parker Griffith (D), a former congressman and state senator whose campaign trailed badly in fundraising. Griffith called Medicaid expansion a "no brainer." He also challenged Bentley to seven debates, but talks to schedule debates failed.
- House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R), indicted in October on felony ethics charges, won re-election anyway, beating Shirley Scott-Harris (D) by about 18 points in House District 79. In January, the new House re-elected him Speaker with 99 votes out of 105.
- Republicans unseated 3 Democratic incumbents, all in north Alabama:Republicans also won open Democratic seats, with Tim Melson (R) in Senate District 1, Greg Albritton (R) in Senate District 22, and Matt Fridy (R) in House District 73. Bob Fincher (R) took House District 37, left open by an independent.
- Republicans' statewide sweep included two open seats: John Merrill (R) won secretary of state and Jim Zeigler (R) won auditor. Voters approved all 5 amendments on the November ballot, including a ban on applying foreign law in state courts (Amendment 1), a right-to-bear-arms amendment (Amendment 3), and a right to hunt and fish (Amendment 5). Amendment 2, on armory bonds from the state trust fund, barely passed.
Legislature
- House (105 seats): 37 D, 63 R, 5 other or vacant before the election, 33 D, 72 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (35 seats): 11 D, 23 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 8 D, 26 R, 1 other or vacant after; control stayed with Republicans.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Amendment 1 | Forbids state's recognition of laws violating its policies, including all foreign law | Passed (72.33% yes) |
| Amendment 2 | Increases the amount of the General Obligation Bonds authorized by $50 million | Passed (50.48% yes) |
| Amendment 3 | Protects right to bear arms; requires strict scrutiny of any restriction on the right | Passed (72.5% yes) |
| Amendment 4 | Requires a two-thirds majority vote by the state legislature to increase local education expenditure by $50,000 or more | Passed (56.24% yes) |
| Amendment 5 | Clarifies that the people have the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife subject to reasonable regulations | Passed (79.84% yes) |