An unexpected grassroots write-in campaign has surfaced in Lee County, Alabama, ahead of the midterm election, aimed at keeping incumbent Sheriff Jay Jones in office. The movement gained momentum following Jones’s defeat in a contentious May Republican primary, where he lost to former deputy Cameron Hunt by approximately 300 votes, with the final tally showing 9,301 for Hunt and 8,994 for Jones. Sheriff elections and quality-of-life issues. Nationally, sheriffs are overwhelmingly White and male, according to a 2020 report released by a progressive group, Women’s Donor Action, examining sheriff demographics. Many sheriffs are still running in nationwide races uncontested, notwithstanding the issues. About 62% of sheriff elections were uncontested, a 2024 data analysis found that over a two-year period from 2022 to 2024.
Lee County resident Jack Carter, a former sheriff’s deputy and furniture maker who once considered Jones a mentor, recounted receiving an unsolicited phone call regarding the effort.
Carter, who previously discussed the possibility of a write-in campaign with others, noted that nothing materialized until he was directed to a woman possessing campaign signs urging voters to write in Jay Jones. According to he, He didn’t know who was behind the campaign, and it’s challenging to find out.
After posting an image of a sign from his pickup truck online, Carter stated that the campaign began to accelerate, describing the current political atmosphere as chaotic. He placed one in the back of his black Ram pickup truck and posted a picture online. Then, things began to “blow up,” he said. Accompanied by mounting accusations and online bickering, social media posts captured signs being stolen from yards. This has not gone the way that this needs to go,” Carter said, adding, “It’s chaotic.
The movement remains shrouded in mystery, with an encrypted Proton email address listed on a dedicated Facebook page.
When a reporter attempted to contact the address, it did not yield clear information about the organizers. A query to the email address from a reporter went unanswered.
Sheriff Jones, in an interview, maintained that he is not involved in the effort and has not solicited votes, stating he is humbled by the community support. He further clarified his distance from the campaign, noting that the Alabama Republican Party allegedly threatened to remove him from the party due to the controversy. According to he, He’s in “full support of the Second Amendment.
The friction between Jones and Hunt extends beyond the primary results. Hunt alleged he was terminated from his position as a deputy shortly after requesting a meeting with Jones to discuss his intent to run in the primary. Jones stated that maintaining Hunt’s employment would have been an untenable situation. Subsequently, Hunt filed a formal complaint with the Alabama Ethics Commission, and both candidates have expressed readiness to participate in an independent investigation if required.
At the heart of the divide are differing policy visions for the sheriff’s office, which manages a $25 million budget. Jones, who has served over 27 years, has focused on stability and institutional growth. Policy disagreements between the candidates include approaches to immigration, gun control, and the use of technology like Flock intelligence. Hunt has stated plans to sign a 287(g) agreement for immigration enforcement, supports open carry laws, and intends to end the county’s contract for Flock technology. Known as 287(g) agreements, several 2026 midterm contests feature debates over partnerships with federal immigration authorities. Whether a sheriff signs a 287(g) agreement and has the ability to cooperate extensively with ICE is a matter of state law and local politics,” she said. He wrote in an email, “I strongly support the Second Amendment, believe immigration laws should be enforced, and recognize the importance of providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to protect our communities. Which holds a population of 190,118 people, Jones has been in office for more than 27 years — and he’s rarely had an opponent, in Lee County.
While Jones emphasized that his office has historically cooperated with ICE requests, policy experts note that a sheriff’s actual authority to enforce immigration policy is largely dictated by state law. Jones continues to defend his support for concealed carry permits, asserting they help screen firearm owners, while Hunt has argued that such permits are unnecessary. The office is established by the state constitution, often allowing for broad authority — and for many counties the sheriff might be the most visible and powerful position around, in several states. According to jones also, He supports the continuation of concealed carry permits, which are issued by the sheriff’s office, because it helps keep guns out of the hands of criminals. (Alabama law changed in 2023 to no longer requ.
The situation in Lee County highlights the significant, often overlooked role that sheriffs play in shaping daily life through public safety priorities, jail operations, and bail management. With roughly 1,400 sheriffs up for election across 20 states in 2026, the race illustrates how high-stakes local politics can become. Public policy experts observe that while incumbents rarely lose primaries, the emergence of a write-in campaign adds a layer of uncertainty, as there is little data to track such grassroots efforts effectively. Down-ballot contests often play a far more direct role in shaping people’s daily life, while congressional and marquee statewide races dominate midterm headlines. There are 3,801 sheriffs in the country. In 20 states, including Colorado, Alabama, Maryland, Utah and Wisconsin, most of the elected sheriffs are up for the vote, according to Yesim Karaman, a spokesperson at the National Sheriffs’ Association, a national organization supporting training, education and advocacy. From the local agencies here and federal agency offices in the state of Alabama, to actually, and this is on record, in the last two years, we’ve actually transferred over 450 individuals to ICE custody from the Lee County Jail,” he said, we have cooperated with any request we received from ICE.
Jones maintains that the ultimate decision lies with the people, asserting that the sheriff serves the public and their choice is what matters. As the community remains divided, supporters of Hunt have characterized the write-in push as the actions of sore losers, while backers of Jones insist that voters possess the fundamental right to support any candidate they choose via a write-in ballot. According to they’re policing, they’re making sure that they have the good community relationships, they have the leadership in their counties, and they’re responding to the citizens that they serve and who they’re elected by,”, Karaman.
