Alabama Election Results: Tuberville Ahead of Jones in Partial, Unofficial Returns

MOBILE, Ala. — Alabama election results were still partial and unofficial late Tuesday, with Republican Tommy Tuberville ahead of Democrat Doug Jones in the race for governor and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, a Democrat, ahead of Republican Rhett Marques in the 2nd Congressional District, according to the Alabama Secretary of State’s official export retrieved at 10:39 p.m. Central.

The tally used for this story did not declare winners in those races, and every number below remains unofficial until it is certified. The export showed returns from 66 of Alabama’s 67 counties. That count does not mean 66 counties had finished, and it is not a measure of how much of the vote had been counted. The export does not provide a vote-counted percentage for any individual race.

The governor’s race and District 2

In the governor’s race, the 10:39 p.m. export showed:

Tommy Tuberville (R): 808,214 votes, 52.83%

Doug Jones (D): 716,391 votes, 46.82%

Write-ins: 5,370 votes, 0.35%

The contest moved over the course of the night. At 8:01 p.m., with an estimated 2% of expected votes reported, Jones held a lead of fewer than 100 votes, 18,561 to 18,470. By 8:54 p.m., Tuberville was at 310,738 votes to 206,970, or 60% to 40%, with an estimated 27.7% reported. His share narrowed to 56% at 9:17 p.m. and 53.7% at 10:18 p.m., when he led 693,571 to 597,373 with an estimated 69% reported.

Those earlier shares counted only the two named candidates, and the estimates of votes reported were later dropped from the race tables because the Secretary of State’s export does not supply them. The 10:39 p.m. figures include write-ins, so they are not a direct comparison with the earlier numbers.

Tuberville, a U.S. senator and former Auburn University football coach, and Jones, a former U.S. senator and federal prosecutor, are competing to succeed Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, who cannot seek another term. Tuberville defeated Jones in the 2020 Senate race.

Tuberville, who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, campaigned on cutting taxes, creating jobs and eliminating the state’s remaining grocery tax. Jones also supports ending the grocery tax and focused on affordability, health care and economic opportunity, including expanding Medicaid and raising the minimum wage. The two split over school choice and data centers: Tuberville backs expanding both, while Jones called for rolling back the state’s school choice program and a one-year pause on new data center construction.

In the 2nd Congressional District, the 10:39 p.m. export showed:

Shomari Figures (D): 124,422 votes, 53.67%

Rhett Marques (R): 107,049 votes, 46.18%

Write-ins: 338 votes, 0.15%

Figures, the Democratic incumbent from Mobile, and Marques, an Enterprise Republican endorsed by Trump, were competing in a newly redrawn district that stretches from Montgomery through Dothan and the Wiregrass. South AL News reported before the election that the contest had drawn nearly $10 million in television advertising over seven weeks, according to AdImpact, and that the most recent public poll, by the Republican-aligned Remington Research Group, showed Marques at 48% and Figures at 46%.

The two major-party totals had not changed since the 9:58 p.m. update. Earlier in the night, Figures led 95,618 to 86,862 at 9 p.m. and 121,558 to 98,176 at 9:40 p.m. The final estimate published for the district before those figures were removed was 90.9% reported, at 10:18 p.m.

The last U.S. Senate totals itemized in election-night updates came at 9:58 p.m., when Republican Barry Moore had 761,378 votes, or 55.1%, and Democrat Everett Wess had 620,193, or 44.9%, with an estimated 73.7% reported. Those figures predate the 10:39 p.m. export. Moore, an Enterprise resident who holds the 1st District House seat, and Wess, a Birmingham attorney, are seeking the seat Tuberville is leaving.

What Mobile and Baldwin counties reported

Baldwin County’s probate court reported 83,677 ballots cast as of 10:13 p.m., with 63 of 65 precincts counted, or 96.92%. In Baldwin alone, Tuberville had 57,915 votes (69.56%), Jones had 25,060 (30.10%) and write-ins had 284 (0.34%). The county’s count climbed during the evening from 28 precincts at 8:50 p.m. to 47 at 9:15 p.m. and 62 at 9:32 p.m.

Baldwin’s local races were settled in the primary or left without Democratic opposition after withdrawals, so the county’s contested races were statewide, federal and legislative contests.

Mobile County’s probate court reported 127,806 ballots cast as of 9:06 p.m., with 79 of 80 precincts reporting, or 98.75%. Its count had stood at 1 precinct for much of the early evening before jumping to 59 precincts and 93,300 ballots at 8:47 p.m. The local figures below had not been updated after 9:06 p.m., and the precinct count is countywide, not a measure of reporting in any one district.

In the race for Mobile County sheriff, Republican incumbent Paul Burch had 64,946 votes and Democrat Pamela Laffitte had 60,999 at that update. Burch declared victory at the Mobile County Republican Party’s election-night gathering, which South AL News covers in a separate story.

Amendments and other questions on the ballot

Four statewide constitutional amendments were on the ballot. This story does not report their outcomes because the returns were partial when the export was retrieved.

Amendment 1 would let voters elect someone to finish the term when the lieutenant governor’s office becomes vacant more than 60 days before the next general election for state officers. It would also let the Legislature set pay for the lieutenant governor and legislative officers by joint resolution and require approval for legislative travel paid with legislative funds.

Amendment 2 would create a process for two or more neighboring county school systems to merge, following a State Board of Education study. If enough voters protest, the merger would need approval from voters in each affected county.

Amendment 3 would require local school boards to adopt policies for a daily Pledge of Allegiance and for student-initiated, student-led prayer in public K-12 schools, with students free to opt out. Amendment 4 would require school boards to adopt policies for public K-12 schools to broadcast or allow a performance of the first stanza of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at least once a week during school hours.

Mobile County voters also cast ballots on two local questions. Local Amendment 1 addresses a senior property tax exemption and a homestead exemption income limit. It would let residents 65 or older freeze the assessed value of their homestead property when applying for the senior exemption. The county’s Pay-As-You-Go referendum covers up to $82 million in road, bridge and drainage bonds, $40 million countywide and $14 million for each of the three commission districts, and the continuation of the 6.5-mill special property tax that repays them.

The ballot also carried races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, commissioner of agriculture and industries, two Public Service Commission seats, two Alabama Supreme Court seats, legislative seats and two Mobile County school board districts.

Few problems reported at the polls

Isolated problems were reported at polling places Tuesday morning, one each in Mobile and Baldwin counties.

In Mobile County, a power outage on Sage Avenue affected the St. Pius Catholic Church Family Life Center, where Precinct 47 votes, just as polls opened. A county news release said the outage would not affect voting because the machines have backup batteries and a generator was being used. Alabama Power said service should be restored by 11 a.m.

In Baldwin County, a voting machine was down at the Daphne Civic Center, though voters could still submit their ballots.

Mobile County Probate Court staff had tested ballot counters, accessibility machines and ballot marking devices before the election. As of Monday, Mobile County reported receiving 3,000 of the 4,000 absentee ballots it issued, while Baldwin County reported receiving 2,600 of 3,000.

Polls were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Statewide results are posted on the Alabama Secretary of State’s website, and county results are posted by the Mobile County and Baldwin County probate judges.