CULLMAN, Ala. – Attendees gathered Saturday, March 7, at the Cullman VFW for the Cullman County Republican Party breakfast and to listen to two candidates running for statewide office.
Alabama Secretary of State candidate Caroleene Dobson and Alabama Public Service Commission, Place 2 candidate Brent Woodall shared their backgrounds and priorities ahead of the May primary.
Dobson told the crowd she decided to enter politics after running for Congress in 2024 following Alabama’s congressional redistricting. Although she did not win the race, Dobson said the experience motivated her to pursue the secretary of state position, focusing on election security and government efficiency.
“As your next secretary of state, I want to protect the process, not just on Election Day but long before and long after,” she said.
She said her priorities include maintaining accurate voter rolls by removing deceased voters, identifying voters who have moved out of state and strengthening proof-of-identity and citizenship requirements during voter registration. She also emphasized enforcing laws against absentee ballot harvesting and working with state lawmakers to improve election auditing procedures. In addition to election integrity, Dobson said the secretary of state’s office plays an important role in supporting businesses across Alabama. She said she wants to streamline business services and reduce fees to make it easier for small businesses to operate and grow in the state.
Woodall highlighted his background in industrial sales, legal work with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and time with the U.S. Attorney’s Office before joining the commission staff. His campaign focuses largely on utility regulation and rising electric costs in Alabama.
“Alabama has some of the highest electric bills in the country,” Woodall said. “The Public Service Commission is supposed to regulate the utilities, not the other way around.”
Woodall criticized the commission’s current structure and called for leadership that better balances the interests of utility companies with those of consumers. He said transparency and accountability at the commission are key priorities for his campaign.
Both candidates encouraged voters to participate in the upcoming Republican Primary Election on Tuesday, May 19.
