2026 is a big election year for Alabama — here's what to watch
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Tommy Tuberville (left) and Doug Jones, current and former Alabama senators, are running for governor. Photos: Courtesy Alex Wong/Getty Images, Alex Edelman/AFP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Voters in Huntsville will cast ballots this year on everything from city council to governor.
Why it matters: Don't let Election Day — or the primaries — sneak up on you.
- Here's a quick primer on candidates who will be looking for your votes this year.
Catch up quick: Candidates can file through Jan. 23, so this list could grow.
- Primaries are May 19, with runoffs on June 16, and the general election is Nov. 3.
Zoom in: Other races, including for the state legislature, Madison County Sheriff and three Huntsville city council seats, are also up in 2026. Stay tuned for more coverage on those.
Governor
The two big names in the race to succeed Gov. Kay Ivey are current Sen. Tommy Tuberville and former Sen. Doug Jones, who faced each other in 2020, when Tuberville beat Jones to take the Senate seat he now holds.
- Tuberville, a Republican and former Auburn football coach, announced his run for governor in May.
- Jones, a Democrat and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, kicked off his campaign in early December.
Also on the Democratic primary ballot will be:
- Chad "Chig" Martin, an entrepreneur and businessman; Will Boyd, an engineer who ran unsuccessfully against Katie Britt for Senate in 2022, and Montgomery activist and pastor JaMel Brown.
One Republican, Ken McFeeters, an insurance agent and past congressional candidate, will challenge Tuberville in the Republican primary, though Tuberville is the only candidate listed on the state party's qualified list so far.
Senate
The field is crowded for the Senate seat Tuberville's leaving open.
- On the Republican side, there's former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, current District 1 Rep. Barry Moore, former Trump administration and Tuberville adviser Morgan Murphy, and cattle farmer and businessman Rodney Walker.
- Democrats set for the May primary are: entrepreneur and businessman Dakarai Larriett, veteran Lamont Lavender, businessman and two-time Trump voter turned Democrat Kyle Sweetser and chemist Mark Wheeler.
House District 5
No Republican has announced plans to primary incumbent Dale Strong for the 5th district, but at least four Democrats are vying for a chance to face him in November's general election.
- Democrats set to run for the seat include Army veteran Jeremy Devito, former educator and current product analyst at Tyler Technologies Candice Duvieilh, entrepreneur and podcaster Greg Howard and small business owner Andrew Sneed.
What we're watching: Also set for the ballot this year are races for Alabama lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, five seats on the State Board of Education and more.