The mayor Sam Jones and three Council Members are unopposed. Richard, Carroll, Johnson and Hudson all are opposed and seeking re-election.
On Tuesday, August 25, 2009 the citizens of Mobile, AL will head to the polls to cast their ballots in key hot races for their councilman or councilwoman. The two most heated races in this city is District 2 where incumbent William Carroll is serving his first term and District 3 where incumbent Clinton L. Johnson is serving more than four terms.
District 1 – Fred Richardson is the incumbent in this race, has served on the Mobile City Council for more than 13 years. He is being challenged by political newcomer Yasmin Coker a 38 year old. Fred Richardson is touting his accomplishments from his past terms such as Tricentennial Park and cleaning up Trinity Gardens in his opening statement and when asked about the Mayor’s 10 percent department budget cuts, he was supportive, noting that the strategy could keep the city safe without layoffs. Again “Change” takes the center stage in so many campaigns across America, Yasmin Coker is touting it’s time for a change in District 1 and that she can do better than the sitting incumbent.
District 2- This district carries the downtown and historic districts. William Carroll fought hard to knock out long serving Councilman Thomas Sullivan four years ago. Now Carroll is fighting hard to keep his seat on the Mobile City Council. Carroll has become a dislike in the district in just four years. He is being challenged LaKeshia Dotson and Jeffery Jones. This may be a run-off between Dotson and Carroll. One of the biggest problems in District 2 is drainage, as parts of the area flood during heavy, or even light, rain.
District 3 – This is another hotly contested race, and with the most candidates. Incumbent and pastor Clinton L. Johnson is being challenged and no doubt they have him working hard for the first time in a long time to keep his seat. I have to admit that this may be Johnson last term on the council, because many in the district are disgusted with his leadership and lack of resources for the district as a long serving councilman. Johnson is being challenged by police detective Ron Wallace, Jermaine Burrell, and Lyndon Peters.
District 6 - As incumbent Connie Hudson and head of the city’s finance committee seek re-election for a third term, she is trying to fend off her challenger AL Cheatham. Hudson is talking about strengthening an already strong relationship with the Mobile Chamber of Commerce and not only trying to attract business from outside the area, but also helping to expand local businesses that’s already in the area.
Her opponent, candidate Al Cheatham noted a gold mine waiting just outside the city’s western limits. He said further annexation would be a sure bet and getting the residents of prospective annex-worthy areas comfortable with the idea is important. Cheatham supports annexing the growing western parts of the county into the City of Mobile. Mobile was successful two years ago to annex more than 2,000 residents into the City in that western block of the city.
