Sanders reelected as Lawrence sheriff

Nov. 9—MOULTON — Incumbent Republican Lawrence County Sheriff Max Sanders Sr. said he plans to continue to grow programs he put in place in the past four years after winning his second term in the general election Tuesday night.

Sanders, 75, of Moulton, defeated former three-term sheriff Gene Mitchell, 80, of Mount Hope, by garnering 6,426 votes (63.12%) to Mitchell's 3,454 votes (36.88%).

Those totals are with 30 of 31 boxes reporting across the county.

In the 2018 general election, Sanders defeated Mitchell, then a Democrat, by fewer than 300 votes. This election cycle Mitchell attempted to qualify as a Republican, but the Lawrence County Republican executive committee said he didn't meet its criteria. Mitchell launched an independent campaign and collected more than 1,000 signatures throughout the county in an attempt to serve a fourth term.

"I want to thank the people of the county and my family for their support and hard work sending me to another four years," Sanders said at the Moulton Recreation Center as voting tabulations were announced.

He thanked the commissioners and County Administrator Heather Dyar Rose for adding three officers in the fiscal 2023 budget, but he has larger goals set for the upcoming term.

"I want to work to get a chaplain, mental health worker and GED program started in the jail," he said. "I want to do more for the youths, too."

Sanders, who is a retired lieutenant colonel from the Army National Guard, said he will look for money, possibly through grants, to fund the programs.

Mitchell, who served as director of public safety in Alabama under Gov. Fob James, served as Lawrence sheriff from 2006 to 2018.

The sheriff's position pays an annual salary of $68,274.

— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.