Gadsden voters to choose mayor, council and school board on Aug. 25

GADSDEN — Gadsden voters will choose a mayor, seven City Council members and seven Board of Education members on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Two candidates are on the ballot for mayor: incumbent Craig Ford and Thomas Worthy.

Ford was elected in 2022 after years in the Alabama Legislature. He is seeking a second term. Alabama municipal elections are nonpartisan, and write-in votes are not allowed.

A third candidate qualified and then pulled out. Robert Avery Sr. filed to run on June 23 and gave the city written notice on July 10 that he was withdrawing. His name does not appear on any ballot.

Who is running for mayor?

Ford and Worthy. That is the whole field.

Qualifying opened June 9 and closed at 5 p.m. on June 23. Ford filed first, at 10:35 a.m. on June 9. Worthy filed on the last day at 2:54 p.m. Avery filed later that same afternoon at 4:43 p.m., about two hours before the window shut.

Those filing times come from City Clerk Jennifer Smith, who provided them to GadsdenThrive on Aug. 13 in answer to a public records request.

What happened with Robert Avery?

Avery filed a written Statement of Withdrawal on July 10, 2026. He did not give a reason on the statement itself.

He withdrew before the ballots were printed. Under Alabama Code 11-46-25(j), which covers withdrawal in municipal elections, that means his name was left off. Voters will not see it on Aug. 25.

Avery has since spoken publicly about the decision. In a Facebook video in August he said he stepped aside so Worthy could face Ford one on one, and that he worked to recruit candidates in four council districts. GadsdenThrive covered those comments in this story. The written notice he gave the city in July did not say any of that.

What else is on the ballot?

The mayor’s race is one part of a long ballot. All seven City Council seats and all seven Board of Education seats are up this cycle.

The two bodies do different jobs. City Council decisions shape spending, contracts, zoning and city services. The Board of Education sets policy and budgets for Gadsden City Schools.

The certified candidate list for every race is in our 2026 voter’s guide. GadsdenThrive also broke down the contested council districts in this story on Districts 1, 3, 5 and 6.

How do I vote?

Voter registration for this election closed Aug. 10. That window is shut.

Absentee voting is still open, but not for long. Here are the dates that are left:

• Aug. 18 — Last day for the city clerk to receive a mailed absentee ballot application.
• Aug. 20 — Last day to apply for an absentee ballot in person.
• Aug. 24 — Last day to hand deliver a completed absentee ballot.
• Aug. 25 — Mailed absentee ballots must be received by noon.

The Aug. 18 deadline runs on when the clerk receives the application, not on the postmark. If you are close to the deadline, take it in person. GadsdenThrive has published every remaining absentee date.

On Election Day the polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are not sure where to go, check our list of all 16 polling places.

What happens if nobody wins a majority?

A candidate has to win more than half the vote to take the seat outright. If no one does in a given race, that race goes to a runoff on Sept. 22.

Residents can find official information on offices, polling places, absentee voting and deadlines on the City of Gadsden’s 2026 election page at cityofgadsden.com. The city clerk’s office can also answer questions.

Frequently asked questions

Who is running for mayor of Gadsden?

Incumbent Craig Ford and Thomas Worthy.

Is Robert Avery on the ballot?

No. He qualified on June 23 and withdrew on July 10. His name does not appear on any ballot.

When is the election?

Tuesday, Aug. 25. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Can I still register to vote?

No. Registration for this election closed Aug. 10.

Can I still vote absentee?

Yes, if you move fast. A mailed application has to reach the clerk by Aug. 18. In person applications are taken through Aug. 20.

Are these races partisan?

No. Gadsden municipal races are nonpartisan, and write-in votes are not allowed.

When is the runoff?

Sept. 22, for any race where no candidate wins a majority.

Correction

An earlier version of this story, published July 24, 2026, incorrectly reported that Robert Avery Sr. was a candidate for mayor. Avery withdrew on July 10, 2026, two weeks before that version was published. His name does not appear on the Aug. 25 ballot. GadsdenThrive confirmed the withdrawal date with the city clerk on Aug. 13.