Powell wins sheriff’s runoff race in a close one; turnout low, but heavily Republican

By Doug Sanders Jr.
News Correspondent

PICKENS COUNTY- Last week’s Alabama Party Primary Runoff featured a low turnout--but heavily leaning Republican--in Pickens County, with a squeaker win for challenger Jordan Powell in the race for sheriff of Pickens County.

While a little over 5,000 ballots cast in the May pri- mary in Pickens County, only 3,729 people turned out for the June 21 runoff. Part of this low turnout may have been due to the lone runoff race on the Democratic ticket for governor. Only 389 people voted on the Democratic ticket in the county, while 3,340 people voted Republican.

SHERIFF’S RACE

Complete but unofficial returns show that the biggest upset of the day was the runoff win by Jordan Powell over incumbent Sheriff Todd Hall.

Hall had been appointed to fill the unexpired term of David Abston who resigned in June 2019.

Powell had 1,698 votes (50.88 percent) while Hall had 1,639 votes (49.12 per- cent), a difference of only 59 votes.