Two election runoffs set for Sept. 23 for Hoover City Council seats

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There will be two runoffs for Hoover City Council seats on Sept. 23, the Hoover City Clerk's Office said this afternoon.

McGill Crossings resident Liz Lane barely scraped into a runoff with Greystone’s Ashley Lovell for Council Place 3, and Ross Bridge’s Kenneth Cox Jr. and Magnolia Grove’s Gene Smith will battle it out for Council Place 2, according to complete but unofficial election results.

Lovell almost won outright in Tuesday’s voting, securing 8,148 votes (49.8% of the total 16,349 votes cast in that race), while Lane captured 4,695 votes (28.7%) and Williams received 3,506 votes (21.4%).

In Place 2, Cox was the frontrunner among four candidates in that race. Cox secured 5,144 votes (33) of the votes cast in that race, while Smith was not far behind with 4,602 votes (30%). Clint Bircheat followed in third place with 3,778 votes (25%), and Copeland Johnson picked up 1,862 votes (12%).

The runoff for Place 2 was clear Tuesday night, but it was uncertain until today whether there would be a runoff in Place 3. All vote totals from the polling place at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church were delayed until today because election officials at that polling site mistakenly put all the documentation in the sealed record of election box instead of delivering vote totals to the city clerk's office outside of the box.

City Clerk Wendy Dickerson had to get permission from Jefferson County Circuit Court today to break the seal to retrieve the vote totals, she said.

Two incumbent City Council members — Khristi Driver and Derrick Murphy — secured another term in Tuesday's voting.

Driver escaped a runoff in a three-way race by capturing 61% of the vote for Place 4 over Christian Coleman (25%) and Donna Mazur (13%). This was actually Driver's first time to be in an election because she was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council three years ago when former Councilman Mike Shaw was elected to the state Legislature.

Murphy won 62% of the vote in Place 5 over challenger Steve Lawrence, who garnered 38%. This will be Murphy's third term.

In Council Place 1, Robin Schultz scored a win over Tanveer Patel. Schultz collected 65% of the votes cast in their race, compared to 35% for Patel. This was Schultz's third time to run for City Council, so the third time was indeed a charm for him.

Councilman Casey Middlebrooks was unopposed in Council Place 6, and Councilman Steve McClinton was unopposed in Council Place 7. They both already have been certified as winners for the new term, which begins Nov. 3.

And Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis defeated two-term incumbent Frank Brocato to become Hoover's next mayor. Derzis captured 56% of the vote Tuesday, compared to 44% for Brocato. Read more about the results of the mayor's race here.

Here are the complete but unofficial voting results from Tuesday:

Mayor:

  • Frank Brocato — 7,322 votes (44%)
  • Nick Derzis — 9,172 votes (56%)

Council Place 1:

  • Tanveer Patel —  5451 votes (35%)
  • Robin Schultz —  10,304 votes (65%)

Council Place 2:

  • Clint Bircheat —  3,778 votes (25%)
  • Kenneth Cox Jr. —  5,144 votes (33%)
  • Copeland Johnson — 1,862 votes (12%)
  • Gene Smith —  4,602 votes (30%)

Council Place 3:

  • Liz Lane —  4,695 votes (28.7%)
  • Ashley Lovell —  8,148 votes (49.8%)
  • Robert Williams —  3,506 votes (21.4%)

Council Place 4:

  • Christian Coleman —  3,791 votes (25%)
  • Khristi Driver —  9,214 votes (61%)
  • Donna Mazur —  2,018 votes (13%)

Council Place 5:

  • Steve Lawrence — 5,905 votes (38%)
  • Derrick Murphy —  9,504 votes (62%)