The upcoming election for Alabama Secretary of State has a new Republican candidate, with Montgomery attorney and former congressional candidate Caroleene Dobson announcing her entry into the race.
The Monroe County native is a shareholder at the Maynard Nexsen law firm, specializing in real estate, commercial finance, and natural resources.
In 2024, Dobson ran for U.S. House against Democrat Shomari Figures in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, but was defeated in the General Election, earning just 45% of the vote.
Dobson is running on securing the state’s elections.
“As Secretary of State, I will reduce fees on Alabama businesses, streamline services for the public, and I will never back down from the liberal activist groups who want to undermine the security of our elections,” Dobson said in her campaign announcement.
Dobson also touted Florida’s election crimes division as a framework for what she would implement if elected.
“Alabama has some of the finest law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the nation,” Dobson said. “I want to enhance their ability to bring cases by having a dedicated team of election experts who can investigate voter fraud claims proactively on the ground.”
Dubbed by some as the “election police force,” Florida’s controversial Office of Election Crimes and Security launched in 2022 to ferret out voter fraud with $3 million in initial funding. A detailed report outlining the office’s activity in 2023 said in its first two years the office levied fines against third-party voter registration organizations 26 times amounting to about $100,000 in fines.
Dobson further said if elected, she would advocate for President Donald Trump’s election reforms.
“On the national level, I will advocate for President Trump’s commonsense election reforms. I will also leverage my legal experience to fight back against out-of-state activists who are constantly attempting to use the courts to undermine our election security measures.”
Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order calling for proof of citizenship for voter registration and establishing an Election Day deadline for mail ballots to be returned — some states allow extra time for mail ballots to be counted after Election Day. The proof of citizenship provision was blocked by a federal court judge.
The Republican Primary, scheduled for May 19, 2026, includes Alabama State Auditor Andrew Sorrell, who announced his candidacy for Secretary of State in February, as reported by Yellowhammer News.
Dobson reportedly raised more than $1.4 million and loaned her campaign $1.6 million during her congressional campaign, but hasn’t filed a financial report for the current race. Sorrell holds $270,000, including a $250,000 personal loan, according to the Alabama Daily News.
