Shelby County Republican Party (Alabama)

Dominant political party of Shelby County

The Shelby County Republican Party has dominated politics in Alabama's fastest growing county since 1986, is widely recognized as the “most Republican” county in the state, and ranks as one of the top conservative-friendly counties in America. Further evidence of the strength of the Republican party in the county is a 2014 article in USA Today. The article cited a feature of the website Livability.com, which listed the Shelby County city of Alabaster, Alabama as America's "#1 best city for conservatives".

At the conclusion of the general election cycle of 2010, and as expanded with the general election of November 2014, of the thirty-eight (38) elected officials with either residency or jurisdiction (or both) in Shelby County, all are Republicans. This number excludes municipal elected officials, which are elected on a non-partisan basis. Nevertheless, several mayors and city council members among the various municipalities identify themselves as Republicans.

Organization and Governance

The Shelby County Republican Party is one of the 67 county affiliates of the Alabama Republican Party. The county party organization is governed by the Shelby County Republican Executive Committee. Its members are selected in the Republican Primary election once every four years, coinciding with the election of constitutional officers and legislators, with the most recent election cycle being in 2010. The Shelby County Republican Executive Committee is responsible for electing the County Chairman and all other officers, including Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer, who run the day-to-day operations of the party. All serve on a volunteer basis, without compensation. Additionally, the officers comprise the Steering Committee, and are joined by four (4) Directors (Finance Director, Research Director, Publicity Director, and Training Director), each appointed by the chairman, and nine (9) Zone Directors, each elected by caucus of the Executive Committee members from each respective zone, and a Legal Counsel/Parliamentarian, also appointed by the chair.

For the 2010-2014 term, places on the Executive Committee are described in the following table:

Representation to Alabama Republican Party

By virtue of the By Laws of the Alabama Republican Party, Shelby County is entitled to eight (8) regular places on the Alabama Republican Executive Committee, along with five (5) bonus members on the Alabama Republican Executive Committee. As with all 67 counties, the county chairman also, by virtue of that office, holds one (1) place on the Alabama Republican Executive Committee.

Recent history

Presently in Shelby County, Republicans hold office in all eleven legislative seats in the Alabama Legislature with jurisdiction within the county. This includes four Alabama Senate seats and seven seats in the Alabama House of Representatives. Republicans hold office as Probate Judge, Sheriff, Property Tax Commissioner, Superintendent of Education, and Coroner. All nine seats on the Shelby County Commission, and all five seats on the Shelby County Board of Education, are held by Republicans. In the 18th Judicial Circuit, which comprises solely Shelby County, all four Circuit Judges and both District Judges are Republicans, as are the District Attorney and Circuit Clerk. Additionally, serving in statewide office with residence in Shelby County are the Secretary of State and Judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. Robert J. Bentley, the current Governor of Alabama, is a native of Shelby County. Shelby County is part of Alabama's 6th congressional district, and thus the county is represented by a Republican in the United States House of Representatives and, furthermore, both of Alabama's members of the United States Senate are Republicans. Alabama State Board of Education District 3 and District 6 include Shelby County, and both seats are held by Republicans.

Alabama's 6th congressional district

Shelby County comprises 28.3% of the registered voters residing in Alabama's 6th congressional district, contributing heavily to “the Reddest District in the Country” label. As determined by Cook Political Report, Alabama's 6th District ranks in fifth place of the most solidly-Republican congressional districts in the country with a rating of R+28.

Elected Officials

The following Republican elected officials are those with either jurisdiction, residency, or both, in Shelby County: