Harrell wins Autauga County sheriff runoff, Ekdahl takes judge seat
Autauga County voters sent Mark Harrell back to the sheriff’s office and chose Bradley Earl Ekdahl for a new circuit judgeship in a runoff that drew 6,794 ballots.
Autauga County voters settled two Republican runoffs that will shape public safety and the courts across the county for years to come. With all precincts reported, Mark Harrell kept the sheriff’s office and Bradley Earl Ekdahl won the new Place 5 seat on the 19th Judicial Circuit bench, giving residents a clearer picture of who will run jail operations, law-enforcement coordination and the local court calendar.
The county’s official results showed 6,794 ballots cast out of 46,436 registered voters, a turnout of 14.63 percent. Harrell defeated Ty Thompson 3,446 votes to 2,838, good for 54.84 percent to 45.16 percent. Ekdahl beat Carol Cook Carter 3,423 votes to 2,691, or 55.99 percent to 44.01 percent. In both races, the margin was decisive but not overwhelming, leaving the winners with clear mandates but also a narrow runway to prove they can deliver.
Harrell’s victory effectively decided the sheriff’s office, since he had no November opponent and secured a second term in the June 16 runoff. That makes the practical stakes immediate for Autauga County residents: the sheriff’s office is central to jail management, countywide law-enforcement coordination and public safety leadership from Prattville outward. After a runoff that followed the May 19 primary, Harrell now carries the responsibility of showing that a second term will bring steadier execution on the issues that matter most to deputies, inmates, families and local governments.
Ekdahl’s win is no less consequential. The new circuit judge seat was created for the 19th Judicial Circuit, which includes Autauga, Chilton and Elmore counties, and it will affect criminal, civil and family cases across the region. A newly formed judgeship can influence how quickly cases move, how much backlog the court can absorb and how accessible the courtroom feels to people waiting on hearings, trials and other rulings. That is especially important in a circuit where judicial posts have also served as stepping stones, as William Lewis did after serving as a circuit judge in the 19th Judicial Circuit since 2016 before his appointment to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals in 2024.
The runoff did more than settle two party contests. It set the next stage for how Autauga County handles public safety and how the 19th Judicial Circuit manages justice in a growing part of central Alabama.
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