Auburn, Alabama municipal elections are held every four years to elect the mayor of the city and members of the city council. A runoff election is held if no candidate receives a majority of the votes, in both mayoral and city council elections.
Electoral system Auburn uses a runoff electoral system. Prior to 1956, council members were voted on citywide, before wards were drawn for the city.
1901 The 1901 election took place on January 5, 1901. Mayoral
Incumbent mayor J. W. Harris was elected unopposed.
City council elections
1904 The 1904 election was held on January 2, 1904.
Mayoral election C. E. Little was elected mayor.
City council elections The following people were elected to the city council: J. a. Flanagan W. O. Bulter R. W. Burton J. W. Harris
1920 Mayoral Incumbent mayor Dr. Cecil S. Yarbrough was elected unopposed.
1922 Mayoral Incumbent mayor Dr. Cecil S. Yarbrough was elected unopposed.
1924 Mayoral Incumbent mayor Dr. Cecil S. Yarbrough defeated J. W. Wright and was re-elected.
1926 The 1926 election took place in September 1926.
Mayoral Incumbent mayor Dr. Cecil S. Yarbrough was re-elected to a fifth consecutive term.
City council elections The following people were elected to the city council: H. W. Wright W. D. Martin A. L. Thomas Dr. B. B. Ross C. F. Little
1928 The 1928 election took place on September 17, 1928.
Mayoral
W. D. Copeland defeated incumbent Cecil S. Yarbrough.
City council election All five members were elected city-wide, with voters selecting five.
1932 The 1932 election was held in September 1932.
Mayoral
Incumbent W. D. Copeland was elected unopposed.
City council elections The following people were elected to the city council: J. C. Grimes W. D. Martin Homer Wright H. M. Martin A. Meadows
1936 The 1936 election was held in September 1936.
Mayoral
City council elections The following people were elected as councilmen: A. Meadows J. C. Grimes W. D. Martin Herbert M. Martin W. L. Long
1940 The 1940 election was held on September 16, 1940.
Mayoral
City council elections Place 1
Place 2
Place 3
Place 4
Place 5
1944 The 1944 election was held on September 17, 1944.
Mayoral election
G. H. Wright was elected mayor.
City council elections Place 1
Place 2
Place 3
Place 4
Place 5
1956 The 1956 election was held on September 17, 1956.
Mayoral election
City council elections Each ward elected two members, and voters selected two candidates on their ballots. City council president
First ward
Second ward
Third ward
Fourth ward
1961 An election was held in 1961. Louie W. James served as mayor from 1961 to 1963.
1964 The 1964 election was held on August 11, 1964. Runoffs were held on September 15, 1964.
1968 The 1968 election took place on 13 August 1968, with runoffs taking place on 10 September 1968.
Mayoral
James K. Haygood Jr. defeated incumbent G.H. Wright.
City council elections City council president
1972 The 1972 election was held on 8 August 1972. Runoffs were held on 12 September 1972.
Mayoral
Runoff James K. Haygood Jr. won the runoff election, and was elected to his second term.
City council elections City council president
Runoff Eugene E. Stanaland won the runoff over Andrew J. Gentry Jr.
Ward 1, Place 1
Runoff
Ward 1, Place 2
Runoff
Ward 2, Place 1
Ward 2, Place 2
Ward 3, Place 1 Four candidates qualified for the ballot for this seat.
Runoff
Ward 3, Place 2 Six candidates qualified for the ballot for this seat.
Runoff
Ward 4, Place 1 O. Clyde Prather was unopposed in this seat.
Ward 4, Place 2 Three candidates qualified for the ballot for this seat. The top two advanced to a runoff.
Runoff
1976 The 1976 election was held on August 10, 1976, with runoffs being held on September 14, 1976.
Mayoral
Donald E. Hayhurst won the runoff election.
First round
Runoff
City council elections City council president
Runoff Incumbent Eugene Stanaland was defeated by William Allen after he was only able to win one of the four wards.
Ward 1, Place 1
Runoff
Ward 1, Place 2
Ward 2, Place 1
Ward 2, Place 2
Runoff
Ward 3, Place 1
Runoff
Ward 3, Place 2
Ward 4, Place 1
Ward 4, Place 2
1980 The 1980 election was held on 8 July 1980, with runoff elections being held on 29 July 1980.
Mayoral
First round
Runoff On 10 July 1980, Caine Campbell filed a notice of withdrawal with the City of Auburn. As the only remaining candidate, Jan Dempsey was selected as mayor with no runoff election held.
City council elections No election was held for Ward 3, Place 2. City council president
Ward 1, Place 1
Ward 1, Place 2
Ward 2, Place 1
Ward 2, Place 2
Ward 3, Place 1
Ward 4, Place 1
Ward 4, Place 2
Runoff
1982 The 1982 election was held on 13 July 1982, with the runoff elections being held on 3 August 1982. This was also the final election in which a city council president was elected.
Mayoral
Incumbent mayor Jan Dempsey was the only qualified candidate, and as such, she won the election unopposed.
City council No elections were held for the following seats: Ward 1, Place 1 Ward 2, Place 1 Ward 3, Place 1 Ward 4, Place 1 City council president
Runoff
Ward 1, Place 2
Ward 2, Place 2
Runoff
Ward 3, Place 2
Runoff
Ward 4, Place 2
1984 The 1984 election was held on 10 July 1984.
Mayoral
City council elections No elections were held for the following seats: Ward 1, Place 2 Ward 2, Place 2 Ward 3, Place 2 Ward 4, Place 1 Ward 4, Place 2
Ward 1, Place 1
Ward 2, Place 1
Ward 3, Place 1
1986 The 1986 election was held on 8 July 1986, with the runoff elections being held on 29 July 1986.
Mayoral
City council elections No elections were held for the following seats: District 1, Post 2 District 2, Post 2 District 3, Post 1
District 1, Post 1
Runoff
District 2, Post 1
District 3, Post 2
District 4, Post 1
District 4, Post 2 Endorsements
Results
1990 The 1990 election was held on 28 August 1990, with the runoff elections being held on 18 September 1990.
Mayoral
City council elections No elections were held for the following seats: Ward 2, Place 1 Ward 2, Place 2 Ward 4, Place 2
Ward 1, Place 1
Runoff
Ward 1, Place 2
Ward 3, Place 1
Ward 3, Place 2
Ward 4, Place 1
Runoff
1994 The 1994 election was held on 23 August 1994, with runoffs being held on 13 September 1994.
Mayoral
Incumbent mayor Jan Dempsey won a majority of votes in the first round against two opposition candidates.
City council elections No elections were held for the following seats: Ward 3, Place 1 Ward 4, Place 1 Ward 4, Place 2
Ward 1, Place 1
Ward 1, Place 2
Ward 2, Place 1
Ward 2, Place 2
Runoff
Ward 3, Place 2
1998 The 1998 election was held on 25 August 1998, with the runoff elections being held on 15 September 1995.
Mayoral
Bill Ham Jr. won the election in a landslide vote.
City council election No elections were held for the following seats: Ward 2, Place 1 Ward 3, Place 1 Ward 4, Place 1
Ward 1, Place 1
Ward 1, Place 2
Ward 2, Place 2
Ward 3, Place 2
Runoff
Ward 4, Place 2
Runoff
2002 The 2002 election was held on 27 August 2002.
Mayoral
Incumbent mayor Bill Ham Jr. did not have opposition, and won the election unopposed.
City council elections No elections were held for the following seats: Ward 2, Place 2
Ward 1, Place 1
Ward 1, Place 2
Ward 2, Place 1
Ward 3, Place 1
Ward 3, Place 2
Ward 4, Place 1
Ward 4, Place 2
2006 The 2006 election was held on 22 August 2006, with runoffs being held on 10 September 2006.
Mayoral
Bill Ham Jr. won the election with 77.6% of the vote.
City council elections Any runoff elections were held on 12 September.
Ward 1
Runoff
Ward 2
Ward 3
Ward 4
Ward 5
Ward 6
Ward 7
Ward 8
2010
2014
2018
2022
Incumbent mayor Ron Anders Jr. ran unopposed in the election.
2026 The 2026 elections will be held on 25 August 2026. Mayor
Incumbent mayor Ron Anders Jr. was re-elected. Candidates Declared Ron Anders Jr., incumbent mayor (2018–present) Robert Wilkins Disqualified Jimmy Glenn
City council Ward 1 Incumbent city councilmember Connie-Fitch Taylor was first elected in 2018. She was re-elected unopposed.
Ward 2 Incumbent city councilmember Kelley Griswold was first elected in 2018. He chose to not run for re-election. Kirsten Milenkovitch was elected unopposed to replace him.
Ward 3 Incumbent city councilmember Beth Witten was first elected in 2014. She was re-elected unopposed.
Ward 4 Incumbent city councilmember Tyler Adams was first elected in 2022. He was re-elected unopposed.
Ward 5 Candidates Declared Toshiro Jackson Mike Menese Sonny Moreman, incumbent city council member (2022–present)
Ward 6 Incumbent city councilmember Bob Parsons was first elected in 2018. He was re-elected unopposed.
Ward 7 Incumbent city councilmember Max Coblentz was first elected in 2018. He was re-elected unopposed.
Ward 8 Candidates Declared Augustus Ayers Tommy Dawson, incumbent city council member (2014–present)
Election summary Position Before election After election Mayor Ron Anders Jr. TBD Ward 1 Connie Fitch Taylor TBD Ward 2 Kelley Griswold TBD Ward 3 Beth Witten TBD Ward 4 Tyler Adams TBD Ward 5 Sonny Moreman TBD Ward 6 Bob Parsons TBD Ward 7 Max Coblentz TBD Ward 8 Tommy Dawson TBD
Referendums Referendums are held in Auburn primarily to allow residents to vote on tax propositions.
2001 Five Mill Tax referendum A referendum was held on August 28, 2001, to determine voter approval on how to use revenue from the Five Mill Tax, established in 1948. The referendum granted funding to the building of a new cemetery, a passive park, and a new soccer complex. Results
2001 Auburn City Schools school tax extension Results
2012 Special Five-Mill Tax Referendum A referendum was held on January 24, 2012, to determine voter approval on how to use revenue from the Special Five-Mill Tax. The referendum granted funding to a number of city-funded projects throughout Auburn. Results
2013 School tax referendum A referendum was held in 2013 to increase property taxes in the city, in order to fund the building of a new high school. The referendum failed at 46% in favor. Results
By ward WardNo%Yes%TotalWard 124965.5%13134.5%380Ward 298651.8%91848.2%1,904Wards 3/499459.4%73043.6%1,674Wards 5/61,13750.3%1,12549.7%2,262Wards 7/81,66954.1%1,41645.9%3,085Absentee15053.2%13246.8%282
2019 Special Municipal Bond election
By ward WardYes%No%TotalWards 1/216794.9%95.1%176Wards 3/414090.3%159.7%155Wards 5/624090.2%269.8%266Wards 7/815693.4%116.6%167Absentee2477.4%722.6%31
References