The Daily Background

Friday I wrote about an openly gay woman, Patricia Todd, who won the Democratic primary for Alabama’s statehouse, and was later disqualified from the election by a Democratic party committee. She and her opponent were both disqualified because they didn’t turn a financial report in on time, which, 1) no one has ever really turned in on time since 1988, 2) the Governor and Lieutenant Governor from Alabama haven’t turned in, and 3) the committee didn’t have the power to do.

Yesterday, the Democratic party’s executive committee overruled the decision, and Todd is back on the ballot!

Todd’s victory today all but assures her election as Alabama’s first out elected official. The Birmingham district she hopes to represent is overwhelmingly Democratic and the Republican party has not fielded a candidate for the seat.

Supposing Todd wins this election, she will be the first openly gay elected official ever in Alabama.

Update by Arlen: A write-in candidate is expected to challenge Todd in the general election. Write-in campaigns are generally tough, but sometimes winnable.

Filed under: oh six midterm Elections, Z-TDB Blog