Alabama's 1st Senate district

American legislative district

Alabama's 1st
State Senate district

Senator

Tim Melson
R–Florence

Demographics

83.9% White
8.2% Black
4% Hispanic
0.7% Asian

Population (2022)

146,551

Notes

^[1]

Alabama's 1st Senate district is one of 35 districts in the Alabama Senate. The district is currently represented by Tim Melson, a Republican.

Communities

The district includes all of Lauderdale County and a portion of Limestone County.^[2] Communities contained at least partially within the district include the following:

Cities

Athens
Florence

Towns

Anderson
Ardmore
Elkmont
Killen
Lester
Lexington
Rogersville
St. Florian

Unincorporated places

Underwood-Petersville

Election history

2022

Alabama Senate election, 2022: Senate District 1^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tim Melson (Incumbent)	35,480	97.94	+30.30
	Write-in		748	2.06	+2.01
Majority			34,732	95.87	+60.54
Turnout			36,228
	Republican hold

2018

Alabama Senate election, 2018: Senate District 1^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tim Melson (Incumbent)	33,141	67.64	+5.04
	Democratic	Caroline Self	15,830	32.31	−5.02
	Write-in		23	0.05	-0.02
Majority			17,311	35.33	+10.06
Turnout			48,994
	Republican hold

2014

Alabama Senate election, 2014: Senate District 1^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tim Melson	22,982	62.60	+18.55
	Democratic	Mike Curtis	13,704	37.33	−18.57
	Write-in		25	0.07	+0.02
Majority			9,278	25.27	+13.42
Turnout			36,711
	Republican gain from Democratic

2010

Alabama Senate election, 2010: Senate District 1^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Tammy Irons	23,178	55.90	−7.86
	Republican	Jerry Freeman	18,266	44.05	+7.90
	Write-in		20	0.05	-0.04
Majority			4,912	11.85	−15.75
Turnout			41,464
	Democratic hold

2006

Alabama Senate election, 2006: Senate District 1^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	23,862	63.76	+0.19
	Republican	Buddy Brook	13,531	36.15	−0.08
	Write-in		32	0.09	-0.11
Majority			10,331	27.60	+0.26
Turnout			37,425
	Democratic hold

2002

Alabama Senate election, 2002: Senate District 1^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	25,174	63.57	−7.44
	Republican	Quinton Hanson	14,347	36.23	+7.31
	Write-in		81	0.20	+0.14
Majority			10,827	27.34	−14.75
Turnout			39,602
	Democratic hold

1998

Alabama Senate election, 1998: Senate District 1^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	27,746	71.01	−27.42
	Republican	John Hargett	11,300	28.92	+28.92
	Write-in		25	0.06
Majority			16,446	42.09	−54.76
Turnout			39,602
	Democratic hold

1994

Alabama Senate election, 1994: Senate District 1^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	25,817	98.43	−1.56
	Write-in		413	1.57	+1.56
Majority			25,404	96.85	−3.13
Turnout			26,230
	Democratic hold

1990

Alabama Senate election, 1990: Senate District 1^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	21,169	99.99	−0.01
	Write-in		2	0.01	+0.01
Majority			21,167	99.98	−0.02
Turnout			21,171
	Democratic hold

1986

Alabama Senate election, 1986: Senate District 1^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	23,136	100.00
Majority			23,136	100.00
Turnout			23,136
	Democratic hold

1983

Alabama Senate election, 1983: Senate District 1^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	6,719	100.00
Majority			6,719	100.00
Turnout			6,719
	Democratic hold

1982

Alabama Senate election, 1982: Senate District 1^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bobby E. Denton (Incumbent)	25,168	100.00
Majority			25,168	100.00
Turnout			25,168
	Democratic hold

District officeholders

Senators take office at midnight on the day of their election.^[10]

Tim Melson (2014-present)
Tammy Irons (2010-2014)
Bobby E. Denton (1978-2010)
Oscar Ray Peden (1976^[a]-1978)^[12]
Ronnie Flippo (1974-1976)^[13]
Stewart O'Bannon Jr. (1966-1974)^[14]
James E. Horton Jr. (1962-1966)^[15]
Elbert Bertram Haltom Jr. (1958-1962)^[16]

References

^ Peden was elected in a special election.^[11]

^ "Census profile: State Senate District 1, AL". Census Reporter. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ "Senate District Map As Of November, 2022". The Alabama Legislature. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ "Canvass of Results General Election November 8, 2022" (PDF). p. 33. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ "Canvass of Results General Election November 6, 2018" (PDF). p. 21. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ "Canvass of Results General Election November 4, 2014" (PDF). p. 16. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ "Canvass of Results General Election November 2, 2010" (PDF). p. 18. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ "Canvass of Results General Election November 7, 2006" (PDF). p. 22. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ "Certification of Results General Election November 5, 2002" (PDF). p. 3. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Election Results Archive - Alabama Legislature. Available at: https://www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/election-data. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
^ "Alabama Senate". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ Smith, Tom (May 18, 2018). "Oscar Ray Peden remembered". TimesDaily. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ Alabama Legislature (1977). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1977, volume 1. Alabama Legislature. p. 84.
^ Alabama Legislature (1975). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1975 (organizational and first, second, and third special sessions). Alabama Legislature. p. 3.
^ Alabama Legislature (1967). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1967 (organizational and special sessions). Alabama Legislature. p. 3.
^ Alabama Legislature (1965). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1965 (first special session). Alabama Legislature. p. 705.
^ Alabama Legislature (1959). Journal of the Alabama Senate, 1959, volume 1 (organizational, special, and regular sessions). Alabama Legislature. p. 5.