Two West Alabama Lawmakers Get Competition On November Ballot

TUSCALOOSA, AL — While most local elections on the November general election ballot will be uncontested when Tuscaloosa County voters take to the polls, a pair of incumbent West Alabama lawmakers will have some competition.

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Friday marked the qualifying deadline for the November election.

The race for House District 63 will see a rematch of the Jan. 13 special election to fill the seat previously held by former State Rep. Cynthia Lee Almond, who was appointed president of the Alabama Public Service Commission last summer.

As Patch previously reported, businessman and former Tuscaloosa City Councilor Norman Crow defeated Tuscaloosa County Democratic Party Chair Judith Taylor with 64.47% of the vote and will now fill out the remainder of Almond's unexpired term.

The Republican incumbent and Taylor have both qualified to appear on the November ballot.

In House District 70, incumbent State Rep. Chris England, a Democrat from Tuscaloosa, will run unopposed in the party primary but will have a Republican challenger on the general election ballot for the first time in his political career.

First elected in 2006, England has run unopposed in every election cycle where his name appeared on the ballot.

The presumptive Republican nominee in House District 70 is attorney, realtor and University of Alabama adjunct assistant professor Ian Chwatuk. This will be his first time running for elected office.

The 2026 primary election is set for Tuesday, May 19, followed by the general election on Nov. 3.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming election on the Alabama Secretary of State's website.

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