On Friday, the Alabama Republican Party announced that it has received an election contest in the Alabama House District 2 race. Kimberly Butler, the third-place finisher in the May 24 House District 2 Republican primary is challenging the results.
Former Limestone County Commissioner Ben Harrison was the winner of the Republican primary runoff on June 21.
Butler finished 14 votes behind second-place finisher Limestone County Commissioner Jason Black. Black lost to Harrison by 11% in the primary runoff.
Butler maintains that the runoff results are not valid given Harrison's election win came against Black, who Taylor argued was not legally eligible.
"The Code of Alabama provides that in a run-off election, 'no person can be a candidate except the two persons who receive the highest number of votes for the offices for which they were candidates in the first primary election,'" she wrote in a letter thru her attorney, former State Sen. Bryan Taylor. "Because this run-off did not involve the proper candidates, it was invalid and ineffective to determine the nominee for HD2. A timely-filed election contest is necessary to allow the State Executive Committee to order a new run-off election between you and Kimberly Butler to lawfully determine the Republican Party's nominee for this office without the risk of protracted litigation."
The Alabama Republican Party said in a statement, "As ALGOP Chairman John Wahl has served on committees with both parties involved, he will be fully recusing himself from all matters related to this contest. ALGOP Senior Vice Chairman John Skipper will act in his place.”
The challenge will be heard by the Alabama Republican Party candidates committee.
No details were released on when that will happen.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandon.moseley@1819News.com.
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