Candidates face off in Bessemer races, probate judge contests

Jefferson County has contested races in Bessemer for circuit clerk, deputy treasurer, and assistant tax collector on Tuesday.

Find more information about Alabama ballots and voting information on Nov. 5 here .

There are also two probate judge races contested in the county.

Here are the candidates in each race:

Circuit Clerk, Jefferson County Bessemer Division

Karen Dunn Burks (D) was elected deputy circuit clerk, Bessemer division, in 2012. Dunn Burks previously served as assistant in the Jefferson County Tax Assessor's office. Her mother was the late Alabama Rep. Priscilla Dunn, while her father, Grover Dunn, is the assistant Jefferson County tax collector over the Bessemer division.

Camilo Fuller (R) previously served as the assistant to the Bessemer mayor, 2006 to 2010. He has been transportation supervisor with Bessemer City Schools. He currently serves as senior pastor with Love Conquers All Assembly of Christ.

Jefferson County Deputy Treasurer, Bessemer

Sherry McClain (D) has been the Jefferson County deputy treasurer since 2013. She previously served as director of community affairs, Jefferson County Commission, and worked with the city of Brighton. McClain said her main focus in office has been "transparency, efficiency, effective use of technology and taking care of the taxpayers' money."

Delor Baumann (R) served as the mayor of Hueytown from 2004 through 2016. He was a former president of the Jefferson County Mayors' Association. He managed Baumann Coatings in Bessemer and is a school bus driver for the Jefferson County Board of Education. He also served on the Regional Planning Commission of Jefferson County and the Hueytown and Bessemer chambers of commerce. Baumann said his purpose in running is to fulfill a promise to his late wife "not to ever quit. I love serving the people. Whatever I'm running for, it's trying to help somebody else in some kind of fashion."

Jefferson County Assistant Tax Collector, Bessemer

Ron Marshall (D) is serving in his fourth term on the Bessemer City Council. He is self-employed in the broadcast industry after spending more than 30 years in banking and telecommunications. He is the co-owner of Myriad Communications Network, Inc. and ABC Concessions.

Johnny Curry (R) was appointed assistant tax collector for the Bessemer Division of Jefferson County in September 2023. He served four terms in the Alabama House of Representatives, from 1986 through 2002, and eight years on the state Ways and Means Committee. He is a former chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party and a member of the Alabama Republican Party's executive committee. He also was special projects director at The American Village in Montevallo.

Jefferson County Probate Judge Place 1

Yashiba "Red" Blanchard (D) practices law with Glenn Blanchard and Associates. Blanchard served as a special circuit court judge and special district court judge in Jefferson County. She previously worked for Jefferson County Commission and the county Personnel Board.

John Amari (R) is the chair of the Jefferson County Republican Party's election integrity committee. He is an attorney with Amari & Gray. He served as president of the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce and president of the Trussville City Schools Foundation.

Jefferson County, Probate Judge Place 2

Jameria Johnson Moore (D) is an attorney and partner with Sperling & Moore. She serves as a municipal judge for Birmingham, and a special district court judge in family court. She is a registered mediator with the State of Alabama.

Joel Blankenship (R) is an attorney with the Blankenship Law Firm. He was adopted at birth in the Jefferson County Probate Court. Blankenship is running on maintaining "free and fair elections," as well as managing probate office in the "most efficient and professional way possible," according to his website.