Cynthia Lee Almond Announces Bid For House Of Representatives

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The first prospective candidate has entered the ring to fill the Alabama House of Representatives District 63 seat vacated by Republican State Rep. Bill Poole, who is leaving the Legislature to become the state's finance director.

Former Tuscaloosa City Council Cynthia Lee Almond, who served nearly two decades on the City Council, announced her candidacy for the seat on Wednesday as a Republican, after opting to not seek re-election to the council earlier this year.

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“I look forward to talking and listening to my constituents in the coming weeks to learn what is most important to them," she told Patch on Wednesday. "We have a progressive, growing area. We need leaders who will develop policy and laws to make our state competitive nationally and internationally and provide good paying jobs for our people.”

First elected to the Council in 2005, Almond would prove popular among constituents and see no challengers on the ballots for the rest of her time in office.

Gov. Kay Ivey has not yet set a date for the special election.

Ivey announced Poole's appointment as state finance director last Friday, saying he will assume his new duties on Aug. 1. Poole will fill the position left open by the retirement of current Finance Director Kelly Butler.

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