Alabama Democrats dismiss Givan’s challenge to Lumpkin’s eligibility

On Wednesday, the Alabama Democratic Party’s Contest Committee dismissed with prejudice state Representative Juandalynn Givan’s challenge to Alicia Escott Lumpkin’s eligibility to run in House District 60. Givan continues to pursue a separate lawsuit challenging Lumpkin’s eligibility in Jefferson County Circuit Court.

In the May primary, Lumpkin received more than 50 percent of the vote, while Givan captured about one-third. Lumpkin was endorsed by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, who easily defeated Givan in Birmingham’s 2025 mayoral primary, receiving nearly three-quarters of the vote.

Givan has argued that Lumpkin was ineligible to seek the seat because she allegedly violated an Alabama law that bars certain officials appointed by mayors in cities operating under a mayor-council form of government from seeking elected office. Before launching her campaign, Lumpkin worked for the City of Birmingham.

In public statements, Lumpkin has compared the challenges to President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.

The letter announcing the dismissal, signed by Alabama Democratic Party Vice Chair for County Affairs Ben Harris III, states that Givan neither attended Monday’s hearing nor paid the required contest fee.

The letter also states that, following an earlier hearing on Lumpkin’s qualifications, “Rep. Givan communicated to the Challenge Committee [sic] that she wished to withdraw her challenge.”

In an email shared with APR, Givan acknowledged the “June 17, 2026 correspondence purporting to dismiss my election contest with prejudice” and rejected the committee’s conclusions.

Givan wrote that she was concerned the party committee would not require payroll records and other documentation she believes are necessary to determine whether Lumpkin resigned in time to qualify for the House District 60 race.

The email also highlights Givan’s history as a Democratic elected official, argues that the challenge before the party differed from the matter now before the court, and contends that only state law—not political parties—can govern candidate eligibility in Alabama.

Givan said she declined to attend Monday’s hearing because of her amended complaint pending in Jefferson County Circuit Court. She further argued that “dismissal with prejudice is particularly inappropriate where the Committee has not made factual findings following a full evidentiary hearing and where the underlying legal issues remain actively contested.”

In the amended complaint, Givan asks the court to declare Lumpkin ineligible for the seat and to find her qualification for office was “void ab initio.”

On Monday, Givan filed a motion to recuse seeking the removal of Circuit Judge Chuck Price from the case, arguing that he lacks the appearance of impartiality.

The motion alleges that “Judge Price maintained a close professional and personal relationship with Mayor Randall Woodfin during his years of service associated with the City of Birmingham,” as well as relationships with other individuals connected to the dispute.

The motion states, in part:

“Based upon the totality of circumstances, including the Court’s comments during the hearing, the acknowledged relationships with individuals connected to disputed issues in this litigation, the Court’s prior association with the City of Birmingham and Mayor Woodfin, and the appearance that significant issues had already been resolved before completion of discovery, Plaintiff no longer possesses confidence that she can receive a fair and impartial hearing before this Court.”

The opening section of the defendants’ response describes the recusal motion as “a naked attempt at judge-shopping that this Court should deny.”

The response argues that Givan was already aware of Price’s relationships with Woodfin and others connected to the case and failed to seek recusal in a timely manner. It also contends that Givan has not presented sufficient evidence to justify Price’s removal from the case.

In a post on her official Facebook page earlier this week, Lumpkin wrote that “as these proceedings continue, my focus remains unchanged, serving the people of House District 60 and advancing the work that matters most to our communities.”