Gadsden mayoral election is closely watched

August 25, 2026 - Gadsden voters are heading to the polls to choose between incumbent Mayor Craig Ford and challenger Thomas Worthy. This direct, head-to-head matchup follows the withdrawal of activist Robert Avery from the race. Residents will cast ballots that shape the city's governance, economic trajectory, and neighborhood services for the coming term. Please check official resources for polling hours and location details.

Incumbent Mayor Craig Ford, who took office after serving in the Alabama Legislature, enters the election with a platform anchored in financial growth and infrastructure investments. During recent candidate forums, Ford highlighted an expansion of the city's general fund revenue over his term. Ford points to this financial growth as evidence of Gadsden's renewed momentum under his administration.

Ford's first term also prioritized public safety and long-term economic development. He noted that the city worked to increase its police force and staff emergency services. To manage infrastructure demands, Ford pointed to investments in municipal paving crews alongside downtown revitalization initiatives. While defending downtown funding as an economic engine, Ford maintains that his focus includes scaling up neighborhood-level projects.

Challenger Thomas Worthy, a former Gadsden City Council member, offers a different perspective, advocating for a "neighborhoods first" approach to municipal budgeting. Worthy critiques current city spending, arguing that capital investments have been overly concentrated in certain areas at the expense of residential communities. If elected, Worthy intends to conduct a financial review of city funds and major capital projects to determine how resources can be allocated to local infrastructure.

Worthy's platform prioritizes upgrading the city's roads, fixing drainage systems, and dispersing park amenities equally across the city districts. He has also voiced positions on municipal fire facilities, emphasizing that maintaining existing operations is vital for emergency response times. Additionally, Worthy plans to establish service hubs to directly support residents with mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness challenges.

Though the candidates disagree on capital prioritization, they share alignment on expanding local social outreach. Both Ford and Worthy express support for community-driven frameworks and have pledged to maintain transparent public forums to stay engaged with constituents. Local voters can review candidate responses and find voting information via the ABC 33/40 Decision Guide or access official resources directly from the City of Gadsden Website.

Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Voters need to bring a valid photo ID to the polls in order to participate in any Alabama election.