1950 Alabama Senate election

The 1950 Alabama Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 7, 1950, to elect 35 representatives to serve four-year terms in the Alabama Senate. The election used the same districts first drawn by the Alabama Constitution of 1901. 34 of the 35 Democratic nominees did not face any opposition in the general election. As the Democratic Party was dominant in the state, state legislative seats were generally decided at the Democratic primary election. The first round of the Democratic primary was held on May 2 with runoff elections on May 30. Only one Republican, Hubert E. Mitchell, sought a state senate seat, in District 3. Senator Albert Boutwell of Jefferson County was chosen to be President pro tempore of the Senate on January 9, 1951, unopposed. The election took place concurrently with elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state house, and numerous other state and local offices. == Summary == == Incumbents == Nearly every incumbent senator in a multi-county district chose not to seek re-election, as a gentlemen's agreement compelled state senators to give up their seats to allow a candidate from another county to serve. === Won re-election === === Eliminated in primary === === Did not seek re-election === == General election results == === District 3 (Blount–Cullman–Winston) === === Elected without opposition === Every candidate elected with no opponents was a Democrat. == Democratic primary results == === Runoff results by district === Candidates in boldface advanced to the general election. An asterisk (*) denotes a runoff winner who trailed in the first round. Additionally, a runoff between W. B. Mahan and A. W. Todd in District 31 was planned, but was cancelled after Mahan withdrew citing health issues, giving Todd the Democratic nomination. === First round results by district === Candidates in boldface advanced to either the general election or a runoff, first-place winners with an asterisk (*) did not face a runoff. === Nominated without opposition === The following candidates automatically won the Democratic nomination, as no opponent filed to run against them: District 14: John H. Pinson District 16: C. Mac Golson (inc.) District 17: T. Werth Thagard District 19: Robert Locke District 24: Preston C. Clayton (inc.) District 25: H. B. Larkins District 26: Lawrence K. Andrews District 30: George P. Quarles (inc.) District 32: Herbert B. Byars == 1947–1950 special elections == === District 5 (Jackson–Marshall) === A special election in District 5 (Jackson–Marshall) was triggered by the death of C. J. Owens in December 1949. Governor Jim Folsom requested the Marshall County Democratic Executive Committee to choose the Democratic nominee, as Owens was from Marshall County. The committee chose Chalmers L. Weathers over T. C. Satterfield at a meeting in June 1950. John B. Benson, who had won the regular Democratic primary in May, was ineligible for the special election as he was from Jackson County. C. L. Weathers ran in the general election unopposed. === District 33 (Mobile) === A special election in District 33 (Mobile County) was triggered by the resignation of Joseph N. Langan in May 1950 among speculation that Governor Jim Folsom would call an extraordinary session of the Alabama Legislature for the purposes of reapportionment. Thomas A. Johnston III, who had already defeated Langan for re-election in the regular Democratic primary in early May, ran in the special election unopposed. == Republican candidate == Only one Republican, attorney Hubert E. Mitchell, filed to run for the District 3 Senate seat against Democrat B. R. Fant. District 3 contained the counties of Blount, Cullman, and Winston, the latter of which being a Republican stronghold. He was nominated at a convention in Jasper on June 7. == See also == 1950 Alabama elections 1950 United States Senate election in Alabama 1950 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama 1950 Alabama gubernatorial election 1950 United States elections == References ==