Democrat John Underwood will face Republican Bryan Brinyark on Tuesday in the Alabama House of Representatives District 16 special election.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Voting is open to residents of House District 16, which includes Fayette County in north central Alabama, as well as northern Tuscaloosa County and western Jefferson County.
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Underwood is a Fayette County commissioner, while Brinyark is a Northport attorney. The two are vying to replace Kyle South. South resigned in the middle of his third term in the Alabama Legislature to become the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama on July 1.
Brinyark earned the Republican nomination on Oct. 24 when he defeated Brad Cox of Fayette in a runoff.
Underwood was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
To find polling locations and other information about Tuesday’s House District 16 special election, go to the Alabama secretary of state’s website, www.sos.alabama.gov.
Here is a look at both candidates:
John Underwood
According to a news release, Underwood has served on the Fayette County Commission for District 6 since 2000. He also has three decades of experience serving in law enforcement in Fayette County.
Underwood, known as “Big John,” said he hopes to bring his skills in listening and problem-solving to Montgomery.
“Nobody knows this district like I do. I’ve been on the ground and in the streets of our people for half a century. I have watched us progress and I’ve sadly seen us regress. We’ve weathered the highs and lows together. I understand what we need, and I respect the rule of law because I have been enforcing it for decades,” Underwood said in the news release.
“It’s time for me to step out of my comfort zone and join the others in making the laws that will grow our communities. Writing good laws is just another way to protect and serve. What better way to do that, than protecting them with good laws? Running for office now just makes sense and I hope that I have already gained favor with our communities serving it for over 50 years already,” he said.
Bryan Brinyark
Brinyark is a Windham Springs/Samantha resident and a lawyer with 30 years of experience. He was appointed and currently serves as a Centreville municipal court judge, a position he has held since 2005. He is also a back-up judge for Tuscaloosa.
Brinyark said several people he respected encouraged him to consider a House run, which he had not thought about before South stepped down.
“Kyle did a wonderful job representing our area and he is leaving big shoes to fill,” Brinyark said in a news release. “But I know I am more than capable to fill those shoes and get this district what it deserves.”
Brinyark was born and raised in Tuscaloosa County and graduated from Central High School in Tuscaloosa in 1986. He attended the University of Alabama, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1990 and his law degree in 1993.
“I’m at a time in my life that it makes sense,” Brinyark told the Alabama Reflector in October. “I don’t think I should complain about things they do down there if I’m not willing to go down and help, so it’s my time to serve.”
Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com
