By MARY SELL, Alabama Daily News
Republican Russell Bedsole won the House District 49 special general election Tuesday night, according to unofficial results.
Bedsole, an Alabaster City Councilman, won about 63% of the votes; Democrat Cheryl Patton received about 37%, according to unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State.
“A million thanks to all who supported us,” Bedsole, a captain at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, wrote on Facebook Tuesday night. “Now it’s time to get to work for all of District 49.”
House District 49 encompasses portions of Bibb, Chilton and Shelby counties. A special election was called to fill the vacancy created by former State Rep. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, who resigned to take a position with the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
Weaver has held the seat since 2010 and the district has voted Republican reliably for many years.
“We offer our congratulations to Russell Bedsole on his apparent victory,” Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan said in a written statement. “He will be a welcome addition to our majority in the Alabama House of Representatives. His platform and core convictions on the issues mirror those of his constituents and our party. We look forward to working with Russell and thank him for his willingness to serve.”
Voter turnout in the three-county district was about 8.3%.