The 2025 municipal election season is underway, and new and incumbent candidates around the state have hit the campaign trail, working to win votes and raise money. Most Alabama municipalities follow the same election schedule, with a few exceptions. Huntsville and Scottsboro had their elections last year. Tuscaloosa held its elections on March 4, with its run-off on April 1.
According to the Alabama League of Municipalities, qualifying begins June 10 and ends June 24. However, candidates who raise or spend over $1,000 must file reports with the Secretary of State's office.
House Bill 156, which passed last year, amended the campaign finance report to help candidates in municipal elections where under $1,000 was raised or spent. The bill said, "A candidate running for a municipal office is exempt from the filing requirements of Sections 17-5-4 and 17-5-8, Code of Alabama 1975, unless and until the candidate receives contributions or makes expenditures in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000)." That bill allowed candidates in races that don't raise or spend that amount to be exempt from state filing requirements.
The most recent campaign finance reports, which include April fundraising totals, were due to the Alabama Secretary of State's Office on May 2. They show that while incumbents maintain their advantage regarding overall cash in many city races, several candidates in big cities are catching up on fundraising.
It comes as no surprise that the biggest races are in the major cities. Here's a look at where we stand for the 2025 municipal elections, not including the ones that have already occurred.
5 Biggest Fundraisers in Mayoral Races:
- Randall Woodfin – Birmingham
- Spiro Cheriogotis – Mobile
- Connie Hudson – Mobile
- Nick Derzis – Hoover
- Charles (Eddie) Smith Jr. – Opelika
The top mayoral fundraiser in the state is incumbent Mayor Randall Woodfin of Birmingham, who is foregoing his previous term limit pledge to run for a third term. According to the SOS website, Woodfin has raised $930,374.57 in monetary contributions and has $694,949.31 cash on hand. Meanwhile, his closest opponent, State Representative Juandalynn Givan, has raised $121,800 and has $119,908 cash on hand.
Following Woodfin, two candidates for the Mobile mayor's race are among the top five fundraisers for this cycle. The seat is open following Mayor Sandy Stimpson opting not to run for a fourth term. Former District Judge Sprio Cheriogotis is the second highest fundraiser, having raised $614,604.88 with $555,390.76 on hand. County Commissioner Connie Hudson has raised $459,501.13 and has $364,268.99 on hand.
Fourth on the list of highest monetary contributions for the 2025 cycle is Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis, who has raised $273,700 in his bid to unseat the incumbent mayor, Frank Brocato. Derzis has outraised Brocato by $113,950 to date and currently has $100,252 more cash at the end of the reporting cycle than Brocato does.
Rounding out the top five is recently retired Opelika City Council President Charles (Eddie) Smith Jr., who is fighting a recent cancer diagnosis and has raised $228,259.
5 Biggest Fundraising in Active City Council races:
- Tanveer Patel – Hoover City Council Place 1
- Beau Fleming – Mobile City Council District 5
- Joshua Vasa – Birmingham City Council District 3
- Crystal Smitherman – Birmingham City Council Place District 6
- Steve McClinton – Hoover City Council Place 7
Tanveer Patel, a newcomer to politics, has raised $76,642 in her effort to win a seat on the Hoover City Council. However, having already spent nearly 75% of what she has raised, Patel drops down to 11th place statewide in terms of campaign funds available, giving her only a slight advantage over her opponent, Robin Schultz. Schultz has raised just over $18,050. Schultz received the endorsement from the incumbent Curt Posey.
With just over $59,575 raised to date, Beau Fleming, who is running for Mobile City, Council Place 5 had the second highest amount raised. Place 5 is held by Joel Daves, who announced last April that he would not seek reelection.
Joshua Vasa, running for Birmingham City Council District 3, raised $42,772.67. District 3 is an open seat following council member Valerie Abbott's retirement after two decades.
Rounding out the top five biggest fundraisers for the 2025 cycle are incumbent Birmingham city councilwoman Crystal Smitherman, District 6, who has raised $41,675, and Hoover's Steve McClinton, who has raised $35,700.
The election will be held on Aug. 26, 2025. Campaign finance reports are available on the Secretary of State's website, where they can be searched by candidate name or political race. The next campaign finance report covering May will be due June 4.
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