Bessemer mayor faces runoff as data center backlash reshapes city council

Bessemer's political landscape is shifting as a wave of backlash against the controversial $14.5 billion Project Marvel data center has upended local races, forcing the city's longtime mayor into a runoff and shaking up the city council.

Mayoral Race Heads to Runoff

Mayor Kenneth Gulley, who is seeking a fifth term, finds his leadership on the defensive after failing to secure an outright victory on Tuesday. With 3,800 voters heading to the polls, Gulley secured 1,809 votes (45.13%) against challenger Louise Alexander, who pulled in 1,642 votes (40.97%). This marks the first time in his tenure that the mayor has been forced into a runoff, which is set for Sept. 22.

Alexander, a former state legislator and councilwoman, has centered her platform on transparency, criticizing the initial handling of the data center proposal. [Can’t see the chart? Click here.]

"The difference between me and him, we’re going to do everything in the public," Alexander said at her campaign event Tuesday night. "I know together we can move Bessemer forward." Gulley has previously championed the Project Marvel development, backed by QTS Data Centers, as a transformational economic investment for Alabama.

Council Shake-up and Data Center Tensions

The project, which involves 18 buildings spanning 4.5 million square feet, has become the defining issue of the election. Incumbents who supported the rezoning for the site faced significant headwinds, with council members Teco Stephens and Sarah Bell Person losing their seats. Notably, Cynthia Stephenson-Donald defeated Person, securing 65.2% of the vote.

District 6 candidate Valerie Williams, who led her race with 35.7% of the vote, is headed to a runoff against incumbent Carla Foreman Jackson. Williams has pointedly called Project Marvel the most critical issue for voters, emphasizing a desire for visibility and transparency in local governance.

The city's involvement with the project has been marred by controversy, specifically the use of non-disclosure agreements signed by Mayor Gulley, city attorney Aaron Killings, and chief of staff Christopher Warren. While the NDA is now inactive, the city only released the document in July following the threat of a lawsuit from the Alabama Rivers Alliance. [Can’t see the chart? Click here.]

School Board Under State Oversight

Bessemer voters also cast ballots for a new school board, which faces the daunting task of navigating state intervention. The system has been under the control of the Alabama Department of Education since the state board voted unanimously to intervene in August 2024. Amidst the ongoing transition, several key seats were decided, though District 5 and 6 school board races are headed to runoffs.

[Can’t see the chart? Click here.]

Community Reaction at the Polls

For residents like Heidi Colpo, the election served as a referendum on the administration’s character. "It’s the NDA that’s the factor, more than the data center. It’s all of the deception," Colpo noted. Tensions remained high at polling stations throughout the day, as some voters reported police intervention regarding protest signs and campaign tents.

As the city looks toward the September runoff, the future of the QTS Data Centers’ Project Marvel and its impact on the local water supply and infrastructure remain at the forefront of the public discourse. While the mayor has touted an $8 million scholarship program as a major community benefit, opponents continue to view the election as their final opportunity to influence the direction of the massive development project.