CALHOUN COUNTY — Voters went to the polls Tuesday, August 26, for municipal elections across the county, and several races brought decisive results. While all counts remain unofficial until certification, one of the most significant outcomes came in Ohatchee, where every incumbent council member was voted out, setting the stage for an entirely new City Council. Another historic milestone came in Anniston, where Mayor Ciara Smith, originally appointed to fill the office, was elected outright — becoming the city’s youngest elected mayor and the first Black woman to do so.
Ohatchee: A Complete Overhaul
Ohatchee voters made their voices heard with a clean sweep at the ballot box. All incumbent council members were defeated, meaning the city will begin its next term with a completely new governing body.
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Mayor: Todd Eubanks won with 76.66% of the vote, defeating current Mayor Steve Baswell (23.34%).
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Place 1: Wesley Walker earned 56.47%, defeating Celesia “Lisa” Jennings (43.53%).
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Place 2: Leigh Gardner captured 78.35%, defeating J.M. “Butch” Mitchell (21.65%).
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Place 3: Raymond Underwood secured 62.75%, over Kip Reaves (37.25%).
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Place 4: Bryan Griffith claimed 55.22%, defeating Teresa Lott (44.78%).
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Place 5: Wayne Carden won with 62.34%, against John F. Dyer Jr. (16.36%) and Perry Howard (21.30%).
The complete change marks a dramatic new chapter for the city as it moves forward under an all-new council.
Piedmont Results
In Piedmont, voters elected new representatives across several districts. One race will head to a runoff.
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District 1 (Runoff required – no candidate received 50%): Brittney Williams led with 46.88%, followed by Robert Cornell Dunbar (39.06%) and Tracy Delevie (14.06%). ** see update below
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District 4: Mark Epps secured victory with 50.94%, while Rodney Holmes received 32.08% and Ashlee Jones 16.98%.
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District 5: Greg South won decisively with 74.49% over Kevin Cunningham (26.51%).
Jacksonville Results
Jacksonville voters weighed in on the mayor’s race and multiple council places:
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Mayor: Mark Jones led with 52.46%, followed by Tony Taylor (38.50%) and Laura Humphries (9.04%).
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Place 2: Terry Wilson won with 56.80%, over Scott Hodge (43.20%).
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Place 3: James Newell secured 55.98%, against Jimmy L. Harrell Jr. (44.02%).
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Place 4: Marques Green prevailed with 64.27%, defeating Torsten Dryden (35.73%).
Anniston Results
Mayor – A Historic Win
Incumbent Mayor Ciara Smith earned a decisive victory with 57.31% of the vote. Smith, who was originally appointed to the mayor’s office, is now Mayor-Elect — marking a historic milestone as the youngest elected mayor in Anniston’s history and the first Black woman elected to the role.
Other mayoral candidates included Steven Folks (19.49%), Ben Little (12.08%), Kevin Cheatwood (10.26%), and Michael Woods (0.86%).
City Council
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Ward 1: Lewis Downing won with 65.12%, defeating Brenton Tolson (25.28%), Ben New (5.12%), and John Squires (4.48%).
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Ward 2 (Runoff required – no candidate received 50%): Demetric “DD” Roberts led with 32.40%, followed by Erica Toison (28.97%), La Sha’ Robinson (22.90%), and Dann Huguley (15.73%).
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Ward 4: Julie Moss secured victory with 57.92%, defeating Ashley Wilson (42.08%).
Board of Education
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School Board At-Large (Runoff required – no candidate received 50%): Donald Gilley led with 43.62%, followed by Robert Houston (41.44%) and Trina Chatman (14.94%).
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Ward 2: Rodney Fomby won with 65.42%, defeating Trudy Moses-Munford (34.58%).
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Ward 4: Joan Fraizer claimed 75.71%, over Thomas Hobgood (24.29%).
Looking Ahead
With Ohatchee’s full turnover, new faces in Piedmont and Jacksonville, and Anniston voters delivering a historic win to Ciara Smith — alongside runoff races in Piedmont District 1, Anniston’s City Council Ward 2, and Anniston’s Board of Education At-Large — the 2025 municipal elections are set to reshape local government across Calhoun County.
All results remain projected until officially certified.
UPDATE: Following the election, Robert Cornell Dunbar has officially withdrawn from the Piedmont District 1 race. His withdrawal makes a runoff unnecessary and ensures that Brittney Williams will take the District 1 seat on the Piedmont City Council once results are certified.
