1946 Alabama House of Representatives election|
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Majority party
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Minority party
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| Leader
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Charles D. Norman
(not re-elected speaker)
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John B. Weaver
(de facto)
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| Party
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Democratic
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Republican
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| Leader since
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May 1, 1945
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November 7, 1944
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| Leader's seat
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Bullock Co. p. 1
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Winston Co.
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| Last election
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105 seats, 97.50%
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1 seat, 2.50%
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| Seats won
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105
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1
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| Popular vote
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422,807
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29,519
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| Percentage
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93.32%
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6.52%
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Winners by party
Winners by vote share Democratic hold Republican hold
Democratic: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100% Unopposed
Republican: 40–50% |
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The 1946 Alabama House of Representatives election took place on Tuesday, November 5, 1946, to elect 106 representatives to serve four-year terms in the Alabama House of Representatives. Nearly every single representative elected was a member of the Democratic Party, with one Republican, John B. Weaver, being re-elected from Winston County.
89 of the 106 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 7 with runoff elections taking place on June 4.
Representative William M. Beck of DeKalb County was elected Speaker of the House on January 14, 1947, receiving 58 votes, a majority on the first ballot. Doc Martin of Greene County won 27 votes, and incumbent Speaker Charlie Norman won 17. Beck had the backing of incoming Governor Jim Folsom. 102 of the 106 House representatives voted in the speakership contest, with two being absent, Norman not voting, and the sole Republican not being entitled to a vote.[1] Future governor George Wallace also sought the post, but withdrew his name from contention and supported Beck.[2]
The election took place concurrently with elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state senate, and numerous other state and local offices.
Summary
| Party
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Candidates
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Seats
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| Num.
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Vote
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%
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Before
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Won
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+/–
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Democratic
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106 |
422,807 |
93.32% |
105 |
105 |
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Republican
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17 |
29,519 |
6.52% |
1 |
1 |
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Independents
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1 |
728 |
0.16% |
0 |
0 |
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| Total
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124 |
453,054 |
100% |
106 |
106 |
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General election results
By district
Single-seat
| District
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Democratic
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Republican
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Independent
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Total
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| Candidate
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Votes
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%
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Candidate
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Votes
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%
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Candidate
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Votes
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%
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Votes
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Maj.
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Mrg.
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| Blount
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N. C. Denton |
824 |
54.17%
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Leon Evans |
697 |
45.83%
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— |
— |
—
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1,521 |
+127 |
+8.35%
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| Chilton
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C. B. Box |
2,405 |
62.23%
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W. L. Sanders |
1,460 |
37.77%
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— |
— |
—
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3,865 |
+945 |
+24.45%
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| Colbert
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Paul Coburn |
2,688 |
89.63%
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J. F. Moore Jr. |
311 |
10.37%
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— |
— |
—
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2,999 |
+2,377 |
+79.26%
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| Cullman
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E. L. Buckner |
4,775 |
60.95%
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Homer F. Mitchell |
3,059 |
39.05%
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— |
— |
—
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7,834 |
+1,716 |
+21.90%
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| DeKalb
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William M. Beck |
5,692 |
60.40%
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Doyide Kirk |
3,732 |
39.60%
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— |
— |
—
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9,424 |
+1,960 |
+20.80%
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| Franklin
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Frank L. Haynes |
3,000 |
52.98%
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John D. Burnes |
2,663 |
47.02%
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— |
— |
—
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5,663 |
+337 |
+5.95%
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| Marion
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R. R. Wright |
1,765 |
75.46%
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James T. Lunsford |
574 |
24.54%
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— |
— |
—
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2,339 |
+1,191 |
+50.92%
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| Shelby
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Frank Head |
2,463 |
72.57%
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S. M. Harvey |
931 |
27.43%
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— |
— |
—
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3,394 |
+1,532 |
+45.14%
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| Walker p. 2
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A. J. McDanal |
4,770 |
76.06%
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J. Sam Gant |
1,501 |
23.94%
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— |
— |
—
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6,271 |
+3,269 |
+52.13%
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| Winston
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Vester A. Martin |
936 |
32.60%
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John B. Weaver |
1,207 |
42.04%
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Ben G. Dodd |
728 |
25.36%
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2,871 |
−271 |
−9.44%
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| Source: Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1947 (p. 502–504)[3]
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Multi-seat
Elected without opposition
Every candidate elected without an opponent was a Democrat.
- Autauga County: G. M. Taylor received 963 votes.
- Baldwin County: L. W. Brannan Jr. received 2,209 votes.
- Barbour County:
- Place 1: Sims A. Thomas received 1,526 votes.
- Place 2: George Wallace received 1,526 votes.
- Bibb County: J. Fred Wood received 1,474 votes.
- Bullock County:
- Place 1: Charles D. Norman received 824 votes.
- Place 2: Willis L. McIlwain received 826 votes.
- Butler County:
- Place 1: John Worth Thagard received 1,523 votes.
- Place 2: Earl McGowin received 1,523 votes.
- Calhoun County:
- Place 1: John W. Howell received 2,956 votes.
- Place 2: Tarvey H. Bennett received 3,061 votes.
- Chambers County:
- Place 1: Roy McClendon received 2,020 votes.
- Place 2: A. A. Still received 2,024 votes.
- Cherokee County: J. Monroe Mitchell received 1,006 votes.
- Choctaw County: Franklin C. Evans received 1,048 votes.
- Clarke County:
- Place 1: John F. Gillis received 1,482 votes.
- Place 2: Earl L. Tucker received 1,478 votes.
- Clay County: E. E. Nelson received 2,035 votes.
- Cleburne County: Pelham J. Merrill received 1,602 votes.
- Coffee County: H. B. Larkins received 1,669 votes.
- Conecuh County: James E. Nettles received 1,097 votes.
- Coosa County: George B. McDonald received 923 votes.
- Covington County: S. R. White received 2,062 votes.
- Crenshaw County: Ira B. Thompson received 1,350 votes.
- Dale County: Jesse B. Adams received 1,505 votes.
- Dallas County:
- Place 1: William P. Molette received 1,982 votes.
- Place 2: Hunt Frasier received 1,979 votes.
- Place 3: Walter C. Givhan received 1,980 votes.
- Elmore County:
- Place 1: Lee Hornsby received 2,552 votes.
- Place 2: Harley M. Dobbs received 2,552 votes.
- Escambia County: Flournoy Lovelace received 1,368 votes.
- Etowah County:
- Place 1: E. L. Roberts received 4,584 votes.
- Place 2: Ed Miller received 4,576 votes.
- Fayette County: Niles G. Dobbs received 1,335 votes.
- Geneva County: Roland R. Faulk received 1,695 votes.
- Greene County: W. L. Martin Jr. received 763 votes.
- Hale County:
- Place 1: H. A. Taylor received 966 votes.
- Place 2: Charles H. Ramey received 967 votes.
- Henry County:
- Place 1: George T. Knight received 944 votes.
- Place 2: G. B. Mathison Sr. received 932 votes.
- Houston County: Wallace D. Malone received 1,895 votes.
- Jackson County:
- Place 1: John S. O'Neal received 1,863 votes.
- Place 2: John M. Snodgrass received 1,863 votes.
- Lamar County: John F. Hankins received 1,680 votes.
- Lauderdale County:
- Place 1: Mims Rogers received 2,765 votes.
- Place 2: Bill Barnett received 2,714 votes.
- Lawrence County: J. B. Richardson received 1,599 votes.
- Lee County:
- Place 1: Roberts H. Brown received 1,434 votes.
- Place 2: D. W. Ward received 1,433 votes.
- Limestone County: Bunyan D. Broadwater received 1,930 votes.
- Lowndes County:
- Place 1: Neil Robinson received 706 votes.
- Place 2: John M. Bruner received 706 votes.
- Macon County: G. O. Bush received 857 votes.
- Madison County:
- Place 1: Herman Vann received 3,740 votes.
- Place 2: William E. Davis received 3,764 votes.
- Marengo County:
- Place 1: Z. P. Croker Jr. received 1,342 votes.
- Place 2: Odie Bedford Whitcomb received 1,345 votes.
- Marshall County: J. J. Bedford received 2,314 votes.
- Mobile County:
- Place 1: Thomas A. Johnston III received 4,940 votes.
- Place 2: George E. Stone Jr. received 5,004 votes.
- Place 3: Joseph C. Sullivan received 4,919 votes.
- Monroe County: W. W. Garrett received 1,273 votes.
- Montgomery County:
- Place 1: S. B. Sightler received 5,831 votes.
- Place 2: Hubert E. Busby received 5,831 votes.
- Place 3: Luther Ingalls received 5,831 votes.
- Place 4: Charles M. Pinkston received 5,831 votes.
- Morgan County:
- Place 1: Norman W. Harris received 3,106 votes.
- Place 2: Bill Stewart received 3,063 votes.
- Perry County:
- Place 1: D. K. Mason Jr. received 915 votes.
- Place 2: John G. White received 910 votes.
- Pickens County: R. B. Doughty received 1,321 votes.
- Pike County:
- Place 1: Ira Thompson received 1,621 votes.
- Place 2: Max Shirley received 1,601 votes.
- Randolph County: A. C. George received 1,760 votes.
- Russell County:
- Place 1: B. L. Cole received 1,025 votes.
- Place 2: J. W. Brassell received 1,024 votes.
- St. Clair County: John W. Inzer Jr. received 2,173 votes.
- Sumter County:
- Place 1: John H. Pinson received 1,011 votes.
- Place 2: Ira D. Pruitt received 1,011 votes.
- Talladega County:
- Place 1: J. S. Ganey received 2,618 votes.
- Place 2: G. Kyser Leonard received 2,627 votes.
- Tallapoosa County:
- Place 1: Lewis E. Sellers received 2,458 votes.
- Place 2: Cecil G. Duffee received 2,458 votes.
- Tuscaloosa County:
- Place 1: Temo Callahan received 3,757 votes.
- Place 2: J. P. Shelton received 3,774 votes.
- Walker County: Chester M. Black received 4,886 votes.
- Washington County: J. Emmett Wood received 1,043 votes.
- Wilcox County:
- Place 1: E. T. Harrison received 1,163 votes.
- Place 2: S. M. Cobb received 1,163 votes.
1943–1946 special elections
Eleven special elections to the Alabama House of Representatives were held after the 1942 general election.[4][5]
Conecuh County
Lauderdale County
Crenshaw County
Etowah County place 1
Etowah County place 2
Houston County
Marengo County place 1
Marengo County place 2
Sumter County place 2
Winston County
Madison County place 1
See also
References
- ^ Long, G. C. (15 January 1947). "Beck Chosen As Speaker; Vote 58-44". The Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Brumbach, Bill (13 January 1947). "Main Legislative Business Is Naming Of House Speaker". The Birmingham Post. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Owen, Marie B. (1947). Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1947. Montgomery, Alabama: Walker Printing Company. pp. 502–504. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Owen, Marie B. (1943). Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1943. Montgomery, Alabama: Walker Printing Company. pp. 849–850. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Owen, Marie B. (1947). Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1947. Montgomery, Alabama: Walker Printing Company. pp. 475–480. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
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