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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

After the dust settled on the 2024 General Election in Chilton County, four new commissioners were voted in while three incumbents retained their seats. First-time candidates Butch Billingsley, Alan Childress, Sheila Hall and Roger Perkins were voted into the Chilton County Commission by its citizens with 128,885 votes casted for the race. All citizens can vote seven times in the commission race, and can vote for a candidate as many times out of the seven votes as they choose.

The unofficial results from the Chilton County Courthouse showed Childress (18,578 votes) taking 14.41% of the vote, the highest among the 11 candidates. Perkins (15,774 votes) received 12.23%, Billingsley (11,841 votes) 9.18% and Hall (11,396 votes) 8.84%.

Incumbents Darrel Bone (17,967 votes, 13.94%), Allen Williams (16,689 votes, 12.94%) and Joseph Headley (11,121 votes, 8.62%) all retained their seats on the commission. Jimmie Hardee (10,885 votes, 8.44%) and Randell Kelley (7,849 votes, 6.08%) did not crack the top seven vote getters and lost their seats on the commission.

History was made in the race as well with Hall winning a seat on the commission, as she becomes the first woman of color to serve on the Chilton County Commission. Hall will be the first black representative on the commission since Bobby Agee. Hall currently serves on the Maplesville Town Council.

“Thank God, for giving this to me, and now I am ready to serve the people, give the people what they want and the people have spoken — now it is my job to give them what they want and what we need for the county,” Hall said. “Most of all, to be the first woman of color (to serve on the commission) … History has been made. I am overjoyed, and I thank the people — all people. I am grateful to God, and I am ready to go to work.”

Of the four newcomers, both Billingsley and Perkins are first-time political candidates with this race as their introduction into local politics. The introduction will now feature a second act in serving the citizens that put them in office.

“It is a very humbling experience, the whole thing — all of the support, the prayers, the community and getting out and meeting the citizens,” Perkins said. “It is humbling to see the responsibility they have entrusted me with … It has been a long road, a lot of prayers, tears and hard work, and I just appreciate the people of Chilton County for putting their trust in me.”

He added that he believes the county commission should be representative leadership, and that he is here to lead and serve.

As a volunteer firefighter since 1978, Billingsley has served as Chairman and President of the Volunteer Fireman Association over the years.

“It has been a long (campaign), I am glad it is over with and I am happy with the results,” Billingsley said. “Thank you to the people of Chilton County, because without them I would not have made it here. I will do the best I can, and with God’s help, I am going to serve the citizens of Chilton County, take care of them and help this county grow.”

Billingsley added that the infrastructure in the county needs to continue to grow to get more revenue coming into the county, and he is excited to assist with that goal.

Childress brings political office experience with him as a school board member in the 1990s, and now that he is retired, he has more time to dedicate to Chilton County.

“I am humbled, and I asked the people to trust me and it looks like a good portion of the folks have,” Childress said. “I am going to do whatever it takes to make sure the county is run well … We need to find some efficiencies in other departments to make our dollar stretch as far as we can, but first we need to figure each other out, and then we need to figure out how best to work with our department heads to make the right calls and running our government as efficiently as possible for the citizens.”

He added that it is not a slight against the previous commission, and he believes they did a great job serving, but wants to continue their upward swing as he assumes the seat. In his opinion, government is designed to be inefficient, and it will take a collaborative effort from all of the commissioners to help keep things moving in the right direction.

“That is the way it should be … That gives the individual the autonomy to live the way they want to, and hopefully the right way too,” Childress said. “I am so thankful for Chilton County for giving me the opportunity, and I will not disappoint you.”

Statewide results for all elections in all counties can be found on the Alabama Secretary of State website. As of 10:06 a.m. on Nov. 6, the website reported 3,868,043 voters were registered to participate in the general election, and 2,263,627 ballots were casted — a 58.52% voter turnout with all 67 counties reported.

 

2024 General Election Results in Chilton County

*all numbers are unofficial until official numbers are released later in November*

 

Local Races

*numbers from Chilton County Courthouse*

 

Chilton County Commission

Total votes: 128,885

Alan Childress: 18,578 votes (14.41%)

Darrell Bone: 17,967 votes (13.94%)

Allen Williams: 16,689 votes (12.94%)

Roger Perkins: 15,774 votes (12.23%)

Butch Billingsley: 11,841 votes (9.18%)

Sheila Hall: 11,396 votes (8.84%)

Joseph Headley: 11,121 votes (8.62%)

Jimmie Hardee: 10,885 votes (8.44%)

Randell Kelley: 7,849 votes (6.08%)

Glenda Strength: 3,618 votes (2.8%)

Kenneth Allison: 3,167 votes (2.45%)

 

Chilton County Board of Education (unopposed)

Total votes: 113,089

Cameron Ellison: 21,820 votes (19.29%)

Mike Davis: 21,522 votes (19.03%)

Rodney Payton: 18,377 votes (16.25%)

Ken Harmon Jr.: 15,992 votes (14.14%)

Jacqueline Shields Sullivan: 13,041 votes (11.53%)

Ashland English: 11,240 votes (9.93%)

Lisa G. Nicholas: 11,097 votes (9.81%)

 

Chilton County Judge of Probate (unopposed)

Jason L. Calhoun: 16,652 votes

 

Chilton County Circuit Clerk (unopposed)

Nick Burnett: 16,754 votes

 

Special Election for approval of the levy and continuation of a 3.0 mill countywide trade school and rural industrial development special tax.

(Ala. Const. Amend No. 166 and Ala. Const. Art XI, Section 217)

The Trade School Rural and Industrial Development Tax, which has been collected since 1964, is scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2024. Do you favor a continuation of the levy of that tax at its present rate of 3 mills (30 cents on each $100) until Dec. 31, 2044?

Total Votes: 17,568

Yes: 13,174 votes (74.98%)

No: 4,394 votes (25.01%)

 

Other Race Results From Chilton County

*numbers from Chilton County Courthouse & Alabama Secretary of State website*

 

President of the United States

Total votes: 19,698

Donald J. Trump: 16,891 votes (85.74%)

Kamala D. Harris: 2,697 votes (13.69%)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: 71 votes (0.36%)

Chase Oliver: 23 votes (0.11%)

Jill Stein: 16 votes (0.08%)

 

United States Representative, Alabama 6th Congressional District

Total votes: 19,281

Gary Palmer: 16,587 votes (86.02%)

Elizabeth Anderson: 2,694 votes (13.97%)

 

Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court

Total votes: 19,082

Sarah Stewart: 16,308 votes (85.46%)

Greg Griffin: 2,774 votes (14.53%)

 

Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 1 (unopposed)

Total votes: 16,738

Chris McCool: 16,612 votes (99.25%)

Write-In: 126 votes (0.75%)

 

Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 2 (unopposed)

Total votes: 16,679

Tommy Bryan: 16,560 votes (99.29%)

Write-In: 119 votes (0.71%)

 

Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 3 (unopposed)

Will Sellers: 16,505 votes (99.3%)

Write-In: 116 votes (0.7%)

 

Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 4 (unopposed)

Jay Mitchell: 16,508 votes (99.31%)

Write-In: 115 votes (0.69%)

 

Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Judge, Place 1 (unopposed)

Christy Edwards: 16,450 (99.29%)

Write-In: 118 (0.71%)

 

Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Judge, Place 2 (unopposed)

Chad Hanson: 16,417 votes (99.29%)

Write-In: 117 votes (0.71%)

 

Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Judge, Place 3 (unopposed)

Terry A. Moore: 16,415 votes (99.29%)

Write-In: 117 votes (0.71%)

 

Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals Judge, Place 1 (unopposed)

Richard Minor: 16,403 votes (99.29%)

Write-In: 117 votes (0.71%)

 

Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals Judge, Place No. 2 (unopposed)

Rich Anderson: 16,376 votes (99.3%)

Write-In: 116 votes (0.7%)

 

Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals Judge, Place No. 3 (unopposed)

Bill Cole: 16,357 votes (99.28%)

Write-In: 119 votes (0.72%)

 

President of Public Service Commission (unopposed)

Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh: 16,295 votes (98.82%)

Write-In: 194 votes (1.18%)

 

State Board of Education, District No. 3 (unopposed)

Kelly Mooney: 16,403 votes (99.31%)

Write-In: 114 votes (0.69%)

 

19th Judicial Circuit Court Judge, Place 1 (unopposed)

Patrick D. Pinkston: 16,354 votes (99.23%)

Write-In: 127 votes (0.77%)

 

19th Judicial Circuit Court Judge, Place No. 4 (unopposed)

Dee Dee Calhoon: 16,417 votes (99.27%)

Write-In: 120 votes (0.73%)