By Blake Deshazo
The Selma Times-Journal

A special election will be held to fill Mayor Darrio Melton’s District 67 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives that was vacated when he was elected in Selma.

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley announced Tuesday a timeline for the election, and when it will take place.

Melton gave up his seat in the House when he was elected as mayor of Selma in October during a runoff against former Mayor James Perkins.

“Under the Constitution and laws of the state of Alabama, it is my duty as Governor, by proclamation, to call and set the dates of all related special elections to fill said vacancy for the remainder of the term for which Representative Darrio Melton was elected,” Bentley said in a proclamation.

A special primary election is scheduled in Dallas County for Jan. 31, 2017. If there is no need for a primary because both parties have one candidate, the special general election will be held April 18, 2017.

Candidates must qualify for the race by Tuesday, Nov. 29 by 5 p.m. It is not clear at this time if anyone has announced intentions to run. Rep. Chris England, who spoke at Melton’s swearing-in ceremony Sunday, said losing him is tough.

“As a member of the state legislature, I got the privilege to serve with Rep. Darrio Melton for the last six years. We sit next to each other every day in a legislative session, and I can honestly say … I’m not ready to let him go,” England said before Melton took his oath. “Darrio Melton was our conscious. Darrio Melton was never afraid to speak truth to power … was never afraid to use his power to speak to the truth.”

Melton said Sunday that serving as mayor will allow the actions he takes to make a more direct and immediate impact on the people he serves.

“To move from the legislature to the municipal level, the challenges are different, the opportunities are different,” Melton said.
“I’m humbled by the opportunity to work in a municipal level to know that I can impact people’s lives directly now. That in itself is humbling to know that decisions made on the local level will impact people personally.”

Melton was first elected to the House in 2010. Melton’s second term was set to expire in November 2018. Whoever is elected to replace him will serve the remainder of his term.