Principal wins Shelby County school superintendent after race was left off some ballots

Andrew Gunn has secured the Republican primary victory for Shelby County Schools superintendent following a campaign that faced a challenging hurdle on election day.

In a tightly contested race, Gunn emerged with 7,509 votes (51%) compared to opponent Joel Dixon’s 7,147 votes (49%), according to the Alabama Secretary of State. The path to victory hit a snag early in the day when the superintendent’s race was missing from certain ballots, a situation Gunn flagged to the public on social media.

Resolving Ballot Issues

Shelby County Probate Judge Allison Boyd addressed the technical oversight, attributing it to human error regarding split precincts that required specific ballot styles. "We always strive for perfection in elections and for perfection in everything we do. We have excellent poll workers at that precinct, and it was just simply a human error that was made, and they corrected it as soon as they knew about it," Boyd told 205focus.com.

By the time the issue was resolved at approximately 7:45 a.m., a total of 74 votes had been cast. Officials worked quickly to spoil and reissue ballots for affected voters once the error was identified.

A Look Ahead for the District

Shelby County, which boasts a population of about 236,000, maintains one of the fastest-growing school districts in Alabama. According to unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State, total voter turnout reached 22%, with 39,540 ballots cast out of more than 180,000 registered voters.

Gunn, a veteran educator who has spent 12 years as principal at Oak Mountain High School, previously led both Chelsea and Helena Middle Schools. His campaign platform prioritized classroom human connection, teacher support, and strengthening partnerships with parents.

With no Democratic challenger in the field, Gunn is on track to succeed Superintendent Lewis Brooks, who has served the district since 2018 and is slated to retire. Expressing his gratitude to the community, Gunn noted on social media that he looks forward to working with Dr. Brooks during the upcoming transition period. "We are truly humbled, and we are excited to serve all of our communities," Gunn stated.