Alabama's 6th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It is composed of the wealthier portions of Birmingham, nearly all of Jefferson County outside Birmingham and the entirety of Autauga, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, and Shelby counties. It is the richest congressional district in the state of Alabama.
It is currently represented by Republican Gary Palmer.
Character Once encompassing all of Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama's 6th congressional district is now the suburban Birmingham-area district, with nearly all of the urban precincts having been removed since 1992. Due to a continual process of redistricting since the 1990s, the 6th district has taken on an increasingly unusual shape (typical of gerrymandered districts); it has included all of Jefferson County except for a long gash where most of Birmingham itself has been drawn into the neighboring majority-black 7th district.
The demography of the district consists mostly of middle and upper middle-class white-collar white families whose adults work in Birmingham. Increasingly, the population of the Birmingham districts has become racially and politically polarized. Since the 1960s, most wealthier whites moved from the city to the suburbs, settling in newer housing in suburban Jefferson County and nearby Shelby County. The African American population of the region has remained largely in more urban areas, even as the upper-class live in income-related neighborhoods. Since assuming its present configuration in 1993, it has become one of the most Republican districts in the country. In 2004 it voted 78% for Republican George W. Bush in the presidential election (in keeping with the current proportion of white majority of its population). John McCain swept the district in 2008, taking 75.91% of the vote while Barack Obama received 23.28%. The district's Republican bent is no less pronounced at the congressional level. Since it assumed its current configuration after the 1990 census, a Democrat has only won as much as 30 percent of the vote twice.
Birmingham was once the vanguard district for steel production and metalworking in the South, but restructuring of heavy industries hollowed out the economy of the city, taking many jobs with it. The economy of the 6th district since the late 20th century has centered on the banking industry (Birmingham is the second-largest banking area in the South) and health care/medical research. Voters are socially conservative; however, fiscal conservatism is the most salient feature of this district.
History Alabama's 6th congressional district was originally created in 1843. It encompassed the northeastern portion of Alabama, approximately the modern counties of DeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Etowah, St. Clair, Blount and Cullman.
The district had a population of 66,111 as of the 1840 U.S. census, which made it the second least populous district in Alabama.Parson, Stanley B., William W. Beach and Michael J. Durbin. United States Congressional Districts and Data, 1843-1883 (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1986) p. 1 Neither Cullman County nor Etowah County existed at the time, so only the eastern portion of what today is Cullman County was in the district. In the case of St. Clair County, it appears that only about half of St. Clair County in 1843 was in the district. The district was redrawn in 1855. This was done in time for the election of representatives to the 34th Congress which was held August 6, 1855. The new boundaries put Cherokee County in the 6th district and removed St. Clair County. These boundaries remained in place until the Civil War.
When Alabama again elected representatives to the U.S. Congress in 1868 for the halfway completed 40th Congress, the 6th district consisted of northwestern Alabama. The only county remaining in the district from before was Blount County. It also encompassed Jefferson, Marion, Walker, Morgan, Limestone, Franklin, Lauderdale and Winston counties. Colbert County did not exist at the time, but was part of Franklin County. This was one of the areas of Alabama where the Democrats soonest regained control after the Civil War.
In 1876, the 6th district was redrawn again. The sixth-most northern counties (including Colbert County which now existed) were transferred to the new Alabama 8th Congressional district, while the six counties southwestward from Jefferson County were transferred to the 6th district. This set of boundaries only existed for one election. By the time of the 1878 election, Cullman County had been formed. It was in the 6th district, but Blount County was moved to the 8th district. The boundaries did not exactly correspond to county lines at that time, and with another change in county boundaries by 1880 even more area in the general vicinity of Blount County was moved to the 7th district. This process was continued in 1884 with the removal of Cullman County from the district.
1892 saw more changes in the boundaries of the 6th district. Winston County was moved to the 7th district. At the same time, Jefferson County was placed in the new 9th district. By this time the 6th district consisted of west central Alabama. In the 1892 election, there were about 22,000 votes cast in the 6th district as opposed to 30,000 cast in the 9th district.United States Congressional Elections. Michael J. Dubin. p. 295
In 1902, Perry County and some other areas in the southern portion of Alabama's 9th Congressional District were transferred to the 6th District. The state legislature did not redistrict for several decades, resulting in urban and industrial areas being under-represented in congressional and state districts. It was forced to redistrict after a 1972 Supreme Court case based on the principle of one man-one vote.
Counties and communities For the 119th and successive Congresses (based on the districts drawn following the Supreme Court's decision in Allen v. Milligan), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities.
Autauga County (6)
All six communities Bibb County (5) All five communities
Chilton County (5)
All five communities
Coosa County (11)
All 11 communities
Elmore County (12)
All 12 communities
Jefferson County (22)
Argo (part; also 3rd; shared with St. Clair County), Birmingham (part; also 7th), Center Point (part; also 7th), Clay, County Line (part; also 4th; shared with Blount County), Fultondale (part; also 7th), Gardendale, Grayson Valley, Graysville (part; also 7th), Helena (part; also 7th; shared with Shelby County), Homewood (part; also 7th), Hoover (part; also 7th; shared with Shelby County), Irondale (part; also 7th), Kimberly, Leeds (part; also 3rd; shared with St. Clair and Shelby counties), Morris, Mount Olive, Mountain Brook, Pinson, Sumiton (part; also 4th; shared with Walker County), Trafford (part; also 4th; shared with Blount County), Trussville, Vestavia Hills (shared with Shelby County), Warrior
Shelby County (28)
All 28 communities
Talladega County (3)
Fayetteville (part; also 3rd), Sylacauga (part; also 3rd), Talladega Springs
Recent election results from statewide races The following chart shows the results of recent federal and statewide races in the 6th district.
Year Office Winner D % R % 2012 President Mitt Romney (R) 24.6% 74.3% 2016 President Donald Trump (R) 25.8% 69.6% Senate Richard Shelby (R) 27.0% 72.8% 2017 Senate (special) Roy Moore (R) 44.9% 52.7% 2018 Governor Kay Ivey (R) 35.4% 64.5% Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth (R) 31.6% 68.4% Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) 34.2% 65.8% 2020 President Donald Trump (R) 31.5% 66.8% Senate Tommy Tuberville (R) 34.6% 65.2% Redistricted for the 2022 cycle 2022 Senate Katie Britt (R) 29.1% 67.5% Governor Kay Ivey (R) 26.7% 68.0% Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) 30.4% 69.5% Secretary of State Wes Allen (R) 29.1% 67.4% Redistricted for the 2024 cycle 2024 President Donald Trump (R) 29.7% 68.6%
List of members representing the district
Member Party Years Congress Electoral history Location District created March 4, 1843 Reuben Chapman Democratic March 4, 1843 –March 3, 1847 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1843.Re-elected in 1845.Retired to run for governor. Williamson Robert Winfield Cobb Democratic March 4, 1847 –January 30, 1861 Elected in 1847.Re-elected in 1849.Re-elected in 1851.Re-elected in 1853.Re-elected in 1855.Re-elected in 1857.Re-elected in 1859.Withdrew due to Civil War. Vacant January 30, 1861 –July 21, 1868 Civil War and Reconstruction Thomas Haughey Republican July 21, 1868 –March 3, 1869 Elected to finish the partial term.Lost re-election as an Independent Republican. William Crawford Sherrod Democratic March 4, 1869 –March 3, 1871 Elected in 1869.Retired. Joseph Humphrey Sloss Democratic March 4, 1871 –March 3, 1875 Elected in 1870.Re-elected in 1872.Lost re-election. Goldsmith W. Hewitt Democratic March 4, 1875 –March 3, 1879 Elected in 1874.Re-elected in 1876.Retired. Burwell Boykin Lewis Democratic March 4, 1879 –October 1, 1880 Elected in 1878.Resigned to become President of the University of Alabama. Vacant October 1, 1880 –December 8, 1880 Newton Nash Clements Democratic December 8, 1880 –March 3, 1881 Elected to finish Lewis's term.Retired. Goldsmith W. Hewitt Democratic March 4, 1881 –March 3, 1885 Elected in 1880.Re-elected in 1882.Retired. John Mason Martin Democratic March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1887 Elected in 1884.Lost re-election. John H. Bankhead Democratic March 4, 1887 –March 3, 1907 Elected in 1886.Re-elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Re-elected in 1892.Re-elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896.Re-elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Re-elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Lost renomination. Richmond P. Hobson Democratic March 4, 1907 –March 3, 1915 Elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Re-elected in 1912.Lost renomination. William Bacon Oliver Democratic March 4, 1915 –January 3, 1937 Elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Re-elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Retired. Pete Jarman Democratic January 3, 1937 –January 3, 1949 Elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Lost renomination. Edward deGraffenried Democratic January 3, 1949 –January 3, 1953 Elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Lost renomination. Armistead I. Selden Jr. Democratic January 3, 1953 –January 3, 1963 Elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Redistricted to the . District inactive January 3, 1963 –January 3, 1965 All representatives on a general ticket. John Hall Buchanan Jr. Republican January 3, 1965 –January 3, 1981 Elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Re-elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Lost renomination. Albert L. Smith Jr. Republican January 3, 1981 –January 3, 1983 Elected in 1980.Lost re-election. Ben Erdreich Democratic January 3, 1983 –January 3, 1993 Elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Lost re-election. Spencer Bachus Republican January 3, 1993 –January 3, 2015 Elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Retired. 1993–2003 2003–2013 2013–2023 Gary Palmer Republican January 3, 2015 –present Elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2023–2025 2025–present
Recent election results These are the results from the previous twelve election cycles in Alabama's 6th district.
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022