FOLEY – Foley voters go to the polls Aug. 26, to select the candidates who will guide the city during the upcoming four years.
Voters living in all districts will cast ballots at the polling site at the Foley Civic Center at 407 E. Laurel Ave. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The positions of mayor and the five City Council seats are up for election in 2025.
Mayor Ralph Hellmich is unopposed in his bid for re-election.
Council candidates will run by district. Residents living in each city district can vote for the council candidate running to represent that district.
One council seat has a single candidate, Roddy Burkle in District 3, who will take office when the new term begins. District 3 incumbent Richard Dayton withdrew from the race due to health issues.
The remaining four council seats are contested.
In District 1, incumbent Wayne Trawick faces Barry Hughes.
District 2 incumbent Vera Quaites is opposed by Timothy “Tim” Lower and Donald Barnett.
District 4 incumbent Rick Blackwell is not running for re-election. Candidates for the seat are Larry Engel and Phillip Hinesley.
In District 5, incumbent Charles Ebert III faces Derrick Perdue.
The last day to register to vote in the election is Aug. 11. Alabama residents can register to vote by going to the Secretary of State website: https://www.alabamainteractive.org/sos/voter_registration/instructions.action
Voters in each district will cast ballots at the Foley Civic Center.
Residents who cannot come to the polls on Aug. 26 can request an absentee ballot from the Foley City Clerk’s Office. Information about absentee ballots and applications can be found at the city of Foley website at https://cityoffoley.org/voting.
The City Council that takes office after the elections will be responsible for the decisions that guide Foley in the next four years.
Since the last city election in 2020, the city has approved more than $100 million in capital projects to meet the demands of the region’s rapid growth. The council that takes office after the elections will continue to face those challenges as Foley develops.
Infrastructure projects completed in the current term include the South Juniper Street Extension, the extension of North Pecan Street and South Pecan Street, the extension of East Jessamine Avenue and improvements at Heritage Park – including lights and the new gate on the east side of the site. The council also approved $1 million in sidewalk projects during each of the last two years.
Other projects include improvements on Philomene Holmes Boulevard and Pilgrim Street.
The city also widened the Foley Beach Express for safety and repaved the highway. Foley also took part in improvements at the intersections of Baldwin County 12 and Alabama 59 and of Baldwin County 12 and the Foley Beach express. The city added a turn lane at the intersection of Baldwin County 10 and Alabama 59 to improve traffic flow and safety at those intersections.
Work is currently underway on the construction of a new public library-community center building and a Public Works campus.
In the last term, the council also approved Foley’s first Strategic Plan to help guide the city’s development in the next five years.