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Paul DeMarco | Guest column

With the 2024 presidential election behind us, voters are giving a sigh of relief that they will have a break after a marathon election process. As we look back at the past year, national politics sucked up all of the air. The presidential election made all of the headlines and it was a forgone conclusion Donald Trump would win Alabama. Our state had its fair share of elections including congressional, judicial and county races, but the race for more campaigns at the state and local level start again next year.

At this point, 2025 will be the tale of two election cycles. First, a majority of Alabama municipalities will hold their mayoral and city council elections this year. Come August, city voters will have an opportunity to go to the polls to make a decision on the future leadership of their home towns.

Then just 10 months later, the state 2026 elections will be up with party primaries. Voters will consider all of the statewide constitutional officers including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state. With Gov. Kay Ivey termed limited, Alabama’s top executive will be up for a vote. Also, all 140 members of the Alabama Legislature seats will be up for consideration.

And while the actual general election for these races is two years from now, with most of these races being decided by voters in their respective party primaries, we are actually not that far from the candidate announcements.

What 2025 will also bring us is the start date for those running for state office to begin raising campaign funds. May of 2025 will be one year out from the party primary elections in Alabama, and for statewide races that usually means the Republican nominee ultimately wins the general election. Those who declare for these seats can actually start racing campaign funds in May of 2025. For the candidates, the state’s top offices, they will have to get a head start on putting money in the bank to campaign across the length and width of Alabama.

Thus, enjoy the rest of the year, because come January of 2025, election season will be kicking off in earnest again.

Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and native of the state. He can be found on X, formerly Twitter, at @Paul_DeMarco.