Close Mobile Mayoral Runoff Reveals Deep Voting Divisions

The mayoral runoff election in Mobile, Alabama, held on November 7, 2023, highlighted significant voting patterns among racial demographics, with State Representative Barbara Drummond largely securing the African American vote, while Spiro Cheriogotis emerged as the preferred candidate among white voters. The race was exceptionally close, with Cheriogotis winning by a margin of just 1,391 votes, translating to less than 3 percent of the total votes cast.

The election results showed that both candidates won in 18 precincts each, with Drummond dominating in the northern and eastern parts of the city, while Cheriogotis found his support concentrated in western Mobile. They were tied in a central precinct, located at Three Circle Church on Sage Avenue. Cheriogotis’s victory was bolstered by a significant turnout in his home precinct at Dauphin Way Baptist Church, where he achieved a lead of over 2,000 votes, exceeding his overall winning margin.

A detailed precinct analysis indicated that nearly all African American voters supported Drummond, while Cheriogotis received minimal support in predominantly African American areas. Notably, Drummond’s vote percentage closely matched the overall African American share of registered voters in 22 of the city’s 37 precincts. In contrast, Cheriogotis won only a handful of votes in the precincts where African Americans formed the majority.

According to Thomas Shaw, a political science professor at the University of South Alabama, race played a crucial role in voter mobilization during this election. He noted that Drummond’s campaign needed to stimulate turnout in majority-black precincts to have a fighting chance against Cheriogotis. While Drummond did manage to increase turnout, the rise was even more pronounced in Cheriogotis’s strongholds, with his home precinct experiencing a turnout increase of 7.6 percentage points.

Contrary to expectations that voter turnout tends to decrease in runoff elections, the number of individuals casting ballots in Mobile increased to 48,835, up from 41,481 in the previous August election, marking a remarkable 17.7 percent increase. Shaw suggested that the focus on a two-candidate race likely motivated voters to participate more actively.

Both candidates made concerted efforts to engage voters who had not previously participated in elections. Cheriogotis described the campaign’s efforts, recounting a recent event where he led a golf cart parade to raise awareness and enthusiasm among supporters.

Outgoing Mayor Sandy Stimpson, who endorsed Cheriogotis, praised the increased turnout as a reflection of both campaigns’ effectiveness in mobilizing their respective bases. He emphasized the importance of inspiring voters to participate, stating, “It’s always about getting the vote out. I don’t care how strong your message is, but you’ve got to inspire your people to get out.”

The Mobile mayoral runoff has underscored the city’s deep-seated voting divisions, with racial demographics continuing to significantly influence electoral outcomes. As both candidates reflect on the results, the implications for future elections in Mobile remain to be seen.