Jimmie Stephens will serve a fifth term on the Jefferson County Commission after defeating Camara Blue in District 3, a contest whose reported vote totals put the margin at just 593 votes. The totals cited by al.com were 27,745 for Stephens and 27,152 for Blue. Those figures differ by 593, and BirminghamWatch reported a 593-vote margin. BirminghamWatch reported 42 write-in votes in the unofficial county results it cited.
The close finish came after a late count: BirminghamWatch reported that county returns were posted more than an hour behind schedule and the final tally arrived shortly after midnight. Blue had addressed supporters believing he had won before the final returns put Stephens ahead.
Data centers were a campaign dividing line
The candidates offered different emphases on data-center development. In an interview with Yahoo News, Stephens said data centers could be welcome in Jefferson County but not in every location, linking his broader priorities to infrastructure and economic development. Blue argued that residents should have direct input on projects near their homes.
Other Alabama actions illustrate that data-center decisions can involve different government and regulatory processes, without establishing what will happen in Jefferson County. In Birmingham, the city council approved zoning rules for data centers within city limits on June 9 after nearly three hours of public comment, WBRC reported. Separately, the Alabama Public Service Commission adopted a review process for agreements between Alabama Power and data centers. As News From The States, citing Alabama Reflector, reported, public summaries under that process are to list a facility’s location, company information and maximum electricity use. Birmingham’s city rules apply within city limits; the state process concerns Alabama Power agreements.
Stephens’s victory keeps him in the commission seat, but the result alone does not settle the questions Blue raised about community input or determine how any particular data-center proposal will be handled. The cited city and state measures are separate from this District 3 election.
