By MARY SELL, Alabama Daily News
Three-term lawmaker Bill Poole was sworn in Monday as the state’s finance director.
Poole replaces Kelly Butler, who in June announced his retirement for medical reasons.
Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday also released a special election schedule for the Alabama House district Poole is leaving to join her cabinet.
The special primary will be Oct. 19. If needed, a special primary runoff will be Nov 16. The general election is Feb. 1.
The qualifying deadline for major political parties is Aug. 17. House District 63 includes the cities of Tuscaloosa and Northport.
Ivey announced Poole’s selection last month as the state’s chief financial officer.
“Bill Poole is one of the most gifted public servants Alabama has seen in many years and his exceptional leadership qualities, and the respect he commands on both sides of the aisle in the Alabama Legislature, makes him uniquely qualified to serve as Alabama’s next finance director,” Ivey said in July.
Each year, the drafting of the state’s two operating budgets starts in the finance office. He also advises the governor and lawmakers on a range of financial matters. The Department Finance has also been tasked in the last year with managing the distribution of billions of dollars of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Poole, a lawyer, said Monday he was closing his Tuscaloosa law practice in accordance with state law.