West Alabama Election Day Briefing

Good morning West Alabama. It is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. It is Election Day across America as millions cast their ballots for candidates from the White House to the Courthouse.

Observers this morning report large voter turnouts as polls opened at 7:00am. Some are predicted a near record turnout for an election marked by controversy and contentiousness.

Whatever your political leaning, today is the day many have died to preserve your right to vote. If you don't cast your ballot, you have abdicated your right to complain about the leaders that were elected.

Check back online to Tuscaloosa Thread and on air to Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa radio stations for local election coverage tonight. On air reports will be at the top of each hour, beginning at 8:00pm.

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Weather:

Tropical Storm Rafael is expected to become a Category 1 Hurricane by tomorrow, but it shouldn't last long. It should encounter upper-level winds shear that will inhibit growth and the storm should return to Tropical Storm status.

No direct impacts on Alabama are except for beneficial rainfall are expected.

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Election Day weather will be scattered showers but overall, the rain shouldn't prohibit voter turned.

The Forecast:

Today

A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

A 20 percent chance of showers after 3am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 66. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light after midnight.

Wednesday

A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday

A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.

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Polls are now open statewide for the General Elections and will remain open until 7 tonight. But before you head to cast your vote, Pam Rogers of the Tuscaloosa County Board of Registrars reminds that you must have a valid voter ID (driver's license, passport). Rogers also cautions, to attempt to vote only in the prescient where you live. You can find your polling place by going to the Tuscaloosa County website.

The contentious presidential election has drawn most of the attention there are some local issues and races to pay attention to. One is Local Amendment #1 which undoes a 1940s era tax district that taxed residents in West Tuscaloosa for city schools but did not give them a right to vote.

One of the few contested local races in Alabama involved GOP District Clerk Magaria Bobo and challenger Democrat former Tuscaloosa City Council Member Sonya McKinstry.

Also, on the ballot today, incumbent 7^th District Congresswoman Terri Sewell faces a challenge from Republican educator Dr. Robin Litaker.

All Tuscaloosa County Commission Seats are on the ballot, but none are contested, which is the same for County Board of Education Districts 1, 3 and 7.

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Stewart is the only state GOP judicial candidate facing an opponent, that being Democrat Greg Griffin.

You can click HERE for a sample ballot for each Alabama county.

Democrat Melinda Little-Robinson and Republican Shawn McDaniel is facing off in the race for Pickens County Schools Superintendent.

Local officials are urging whoever wins to improve the State Schools Report Card grade. The latest state schools report card gave Pickens County an 81, a drop of two points from the previous report card.

Duncanville Middle School faculty member Eric Stephens was one of several individuals arrested for soliciting prostitution during a recent sting operation by the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force. A release by the county school system noted the incident had nothing to do with any school activity.

The Northport City Council voted 3-2 has approved the appointment of a group home operator to Northport's city seat on the University Beach Capital Improvement Cooperative District Board of Directors.

It's the latest step forward in the effort to bring the University Beach resort to Northport in the future.

Read More: Northport Beach Project Will Move To Next Step

The City of Tuscaloosa, like Northport, is offering serious cash in new public-private partnerships with property owners to make local storefronts more beautiful.

The Buffalo Rock Company announced plans to cut the ribbon on the new facility later this month, on Tuesday, November 12th.

The newly built sales center is at 1120 Industrial Park Drive in Tuscaloosa and in a press release, the company said it will strengthen their business operations, improve the employee experience and increase sales and brand presence in the area.

Topping Sports News:

What a start to the men's and women's college basketball season for the University of Alabama in last night's doubleheader at Coleman Coliseum!

First, the 24th ranked Bama women easily dispatched New Orleans 115-53. It was the most points in single game since 1995. The Crimson Tide's Aaliyah Nye (25) and Sarah Ashlee Barker (23) combined for 48 of Alabama's total 115 points.

In the men's game the 2nd ranked Tide men opened fast and never looked back in a 110-54 drubbing of UNC-Ashville. Mark Sears led the Crimson Tide with 20 points, marking the 50^th time that the senior has scored 20-or-more points in a contest. Six other Tide players scored in double figures.

The men welcome Arkansas State Friday in a 7:30 game at Coleman Coliseum.

The women hit the road to Huntsville to play Alabama A&M at 7:30 Thursday night.

Alabama hits the road again Saturday night for a "do or die' contest against LSU on national television in "Death Valley".

Saturday night college football in Louisiana is legendary for the decibel level the tanked-up crowd can produce.

How does Tide Coach Kalen DeBoer view his first experience to coach a team in such a hostile atmosphere? "Our backs are to the wall. We're going to scratch and claw like you've never seen."

With each team suffering two losses, this can be considered another elimination game for the College Football Playoffs.

Speaking of the playoffs, the AP and Coaches Polls lose their lustre tonight when the College Football Playoff Committee announces its first ranking for the 12-team post season extravaganza.

The rankings will be revealed live on ESPN beginning at 6:00pm CST.

CFP rankings will then be released every Tuesday in November up through the final rankings on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

It has been lost in the shuffle, but the University of West Alabama is having a great football season. The Tigers are ranked 12th in this week's AFCA Division II Coaches Poll. They are 7-1 and moved up three spots in this week's ranking.