Who is running for Jefferson County Sheriff in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Jefferson County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Jefferson County.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Jacob ReachRepublican | Mark Levie PettwayDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Guns | No public position | Keep current laws and enforce what is already on the booksSaid · low |
| Marijuana | No public position | Decriminalize small amounts (fines, not jail)Official action · low |
Jacob Reach
RepublicanInvestigator, Calera Police Department; retired captain, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
Jacob "JJ" Reach is a retired Jefferson County Sheriff's Office captain with about 30 years of law enforcement experience in the county, including complex felony and homicide investigations, and now works as an investigator with the Calera Police Department12. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary and faces incumbent Democrat Mark Pettway on November 3, 2026134. In August 2026 he said law enforcement should have to obtain a search warrant before pulling data from Flock license plate reader cameras and that only investigators should have access to the readers2.
No public position found on: Immigration, Guns, Marijuana, Qualified immunity.
Mark Levie Pettway
Democrat · IncumbentSheriff 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.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.