The qualifying deadline has passed to qualify as a major party candidate for Alabama House of Representatives District 42. HD42 state House seat represents Autauga and Chilton Counties.
The seat was made vacant after State Rep. Jimmy Martin, R-Clanton, passed away after a battle with lung cancer.
Four Republicans have qualified.
These include: Chilton County Commissioner Allen Caton, Chilton County Commissioner Jimmie Hardee, Van Smith and Shannon Welch.
Commissioner Hardee ran for the office in the 2018 Republican primary, but was defeated by Martin 3468 to 5044.
The four of them will meet in the August 20 special Republican primary.
Only one Democrat has qualified for the office, so there will be no need for a Democratic primary.
Kennith Allison Sr. is the lone Democratic qualifier.
The special Republican primary runoff election will be held on November 5. If no runoff is necessary, then the special general election will be held on Nov. 5 instead. If a runoff is necessary, the special general election will be January 21.
August 20 is the deadline for independents or minor party candidates to qualify for ballot access.
Martin represented HD42 from 1998 to 2010 and again from 2014 to his death late last month.
As of the 2010 census, 48,338 lived in HD42. The population is 82.1 percent White and 11.5 percent Black.
(Original reporting by WSFA TV Channel 12 and Ballotpedia contributed to this report.)
