July 27th 2023.
Patrick Braxton, a 57-year-old resident of Rural Newbern, Alabama, was recently elected as the town's first Black mayor. With fewer than 200 residents and a majority-Black population, this small town was in need of change.
But what should have been a momentous occasion quickly became embroiled in controversy. According to a lawsuit obtained by CBS News, the town council members and former mayor Haywood Stokes III allegedly conspired to hold an illegal election to reappoint Stokes and keep Braxton out of office.
Braxton decided to run for mayor in 2020 after growing concerned about how the town handled issues that plagued the Black community, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. However, he was met with resistance from the start. Stokes allegedly gave him incorrect information and led him on a wild goose chase. Furthermore, residents were not informed of the election. Despite these challenges, Braxton managed to successfully turn in his statement of candidacy and qualifying money order, the two requirements to run for office, and become the only person eligible for the mayoral position.
Incredibly, Stokes and his town council allegedly adopted a “special” election ordinance unbeknownst to Braxton and the public. They conducted a special election on October 6, 2020, where they unlawfully reelected themselves and swore themselves into office. To make matters worse, they barred Braxton from accessing the town’s post office box, financial information, and even the Town Council building by changing the locks.
This conflict arises as Alabama faces pressure to address gerrymandering and draw a second majority-Black congressional district. Braxton's lawsuit states that Stokes and his town council undertook “racially motivated actions” to prevent the first Black mayor from exercising his duties. However, Stokes and his council members vehemently deny any wrongdoing.
The result of this struggle for power in Rural Newbern will likely have far-reaching implications, not only for the small town, but for the entire state of Alabama.
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