Sheriff of Jefferson County

Mark Pettway has been Jefferson County sheriff since 2019, first elected in November 2018 over incumbent Mike Hale and reelected in 2022 over Jared Hudson¹². He joined the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in 1999 after starting in law enforcement in 1991 and holds a business administration degree from Faulkner University¹. He won the May 19, 2026 Democratic primary with about 75 percent of the vote and faces Republican Jacob Reach in November³⁴⁵.

Where they stand 2 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• GunsKeep current laws and enforce what is already on the bookslow

  Said · low confidence

  • Said his office was against Alabama's 2022 permitless carry law, calling it not needed and a problem for communities because people could carry a gun without being checked. (2023-01-01) source
• MarijuanaDecriminalize small amounts (fines, not jail)low

  Official action · low confidence

  • Announced that deputies would ticket rather than jail people for misdemeanor marijuana possession, with his office saying it would keep young people from spending time in jail for small amounts; the plan was postponed the same week without explanation. (2019-04-26) source

No public position found on: Immigration, Qualified immunity.