Phil Campbell-area voters set for new county commissioner after runoff

Curtis Baker is on track to become Franklin County’s next District 1 commissioner after defeating appointed incumbent Grayson Murray in the June 16, 2026 Republican runoff, according to unofficial Alabama Votes results.

The Alabama Secretary of State’s election-night page for Franklin County listed Baker with 1,378 votes, or 54.53%, to Murray’s 1,149 votes, or 45.47%, in the Franklin County Commission District No. 1 contest. The posted margin was 229 votes, with 100% of boxes reported on the state results page.

The results were still labeled unofficial by Alabama Votes. The state page says county election-night results are provided as a courtesy and that accuracy is the responsibility of the county probate judge for each county reporting.

Why the runoff effectively decided the seat

The Franklin County Times reported June 17 that District 1 residents will have a new commissioner in November because Baker faces no opponent in the general election. That means the Republican runoff, rather than the November ballot, effectively settled who will hold the seat unless later official processes change the result.

Murray entered the runoff as the appointed incumbent. The Franklin County Times reported that Gov. Kay Ivey appointed him in June 2025 after the death of his father, Michael Murray, who had held the District 1 commission seat.

For voters, the key distinction is timing. Baker has not taken the seat based on the election-night posting. The available local reporting points to November as the point when District 1 residents will have the new commissioner, while the state’s posted totals remain unofficial unless and until final certification confirms them.

The Phil Campbell connection

This was not a Phil Campbell city election. It was a Franklin County Commission District No. 1 race. But the race had a direct Phil Campbell connection before the runoff.

Franklin Free Press reported that both Baker and Murray were listed for a June 9 runoff political forum at the Phil Campbell Community Center. The forum was scheduled ahead of the June 16 primary runoff and included federal, state and local candidates. For Phil Campbell-area voters in District 1, that made the local commission race part of an in-town voter event rather than a distant courthouse-only contest.

What a county commission seat affects

County commission seats matter because commissioners help shape the routine local government decisions that residents often notice first: county roads, public works, facilities, budgets, meeting agendas and county services. Those decisions can affect commuters, homeowners, farmers, small businesses and residents who rely on county offices.

The Franklin County Commission’s official page lists the current commission members by district and points residents to the county map for district lines. It also posts agendas and minutes, which are the practical records residents can use to follow spending items, public works matters and other county business.

The commission page says work sessions are held on the second Monday of each month at 5 p.m. and regular meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 8:30 a.m. at the Elizabeth Lucas Courthouse Annex in Russellville. It also says residents who want to be placed on a work-session agenda should contact the Commission Office by 10 a.m. on the Friday before the work session, and that citizens can also speak during the public comment section of meetings.

For Phil Campbell readers, the immediate items to watch are the final status of the June 16 runoff results, the November transition for District 1 representation and upcoming commission agendas that show what county issues are moving from discussion to action.

Sources

• Alabama Votes Franklin County runoff results
• Franklin County Times runoff report
• Franklin Free Press report on Phil Campbell runoff forum
• Franklin County Commission official page