By: Joseph M. Morgan

Today, Friday, Nov. 6 is the last day for candidates to qualify for the 2016 primaries with the Democratic Party or the Republican Party in Alabama.

In Alabama, five statewide offices, a U.S. Senate seat and all seven of Alabama’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for grabs in 2016. Incumbents are seeing little resistance so far, however.

As of press time, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, (R-Tuscaloosa), who will be entering his sixth term in the U.S. Senate does not have a challenger from either party.

Four of six GOP incumbents in the U.S. House will run unopposed —DeKalb’s own 4th District Rep. Robert Aderholt,  1st District Rep. Bradley Byrne, 5th District Rep. Mo Brooks and freshman Rep. Gary Palmer who represents Alabama’s 6th District.

In Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers will face Larry DiChiara of Auburn. U.S. Rep. Martha Roby from Alabama’s 2nd District, has two Republican challengers – Becky Gerritson of Wetumpka and Bob Rogers of Montgomery. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell of Birmingham, Alabama’s only Democrat member of Congress, does not strict.

Only 3 of the 9 seats on the Alabama Supreme Court are on the ballot in March, two of which —Justice Michael Bolin in Place 1 and Justice Kelli Wise in Place 2—will run unopposed. Justice Tom Parker has a Republican challenger in Place 3 – Pelham attorney Donna J. Beaulieu.

Currently all 9 seats on the Alabama Supreme Court are held by Republicans and so far no Democratic candidates have emerged to qualify for any of the seats. In the Alabama Public Service Commission, President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, also a Republican, has no opposition in either party.

The Alabama Board of Education has four seats on the ballot in 2016. Three of the four are Republican incumbents with primary challengers but no opponent in the general election.