County Commission | The Magazine April 2018 | Page 13

FROM THE COVER
It’s one-of-a-kind in
Alabama. Lauderdale Co.
has a chairperson and
4 commissioners – but
only two districts. Terms
are staggered, so this
year, one commissioner
from District 1 and one
commissioner from
District 2 are on the
ballot. In two years, the
chairperson (elected
countywide) and the other
two commissioners will
be up for election.
Winston Co. is
structured with two
district commissioners
and a chairperson. For the
primary elections, district
commissioners run only
within their respective
districts. But for the
general election, the
district commissioners
run countywide, just like
the chairperson.
Terminology
4
Most commissioners
are elected for 4-year
terms of office.
Staggered vs. Concurrent Terms
Commissioners in a little more than half of the counties serve staggered
terms, which usually means some seats are on the ballot in presidential
election years and the other seats come up for election two years later.
In 31 counties, commissioners serve concurrent terms, meaning everyone
runs for re-election at the same time.
Governing Bodies by the Numbers
Trio
Chilton Co. has no
commission districts.
All 7 commissioners
run at-large, and they
are free to live anywhere
in the county. It is also
the only commission
in Alabama elected by
cumulative voting. The
system, in place for at
least 30 years, makes
for a distinctive ballot.
Each voter has 7 votes to
cast, and all 7 can go to
one candidate – or they
can be spread out across
multiple candidates.
ACCA’s “Comparative
Data on Alabama
Counties, 9th ed.” and
other sources.
6
A few counties (Barbour, Bullock & Perry)
elect commissioners for 6-year terms.
Also, the 13 commission chairs that also
serve as probate judges have 6-year terms.
In Alabama, no county has
less than 3 commissioners.
Cullman, Winston and Mobile
counties operate with a three-
commissioner structure.
Most Popular
The most common
configuration, used in 49
counties, is 5 commissioners.
Who’s got the gavel?
Largest
With a total of 9, Shelby
County boasts the largest
commission in Alabama.
43%
County-elected
chairperson
(includes probate
judge/chairperson)
10%
Commissioners elect a
chairperson to serve at the
pleasure of the commission
31%
15%
Commissioners elect a
chairperson for a fixed term
*May not total 100% due to rounding
Chairpersonship
rotates periodically
among commissioners
COUNTY COMMISSION | 13