Alabama general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for State Representative, District 45 (Alabama House District 45, Alabama) in 2026?
Here are the candidates for State Representative, District 45 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Alabama House District 45.
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 | Susan DuBoseRepublican | Toni Kornegay VaughnDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | No public position | Raise it to around $15Questionnaire answer · low |
| Business regulation | Cut red tape, but keep core safety and environmental rulesSaid · low | No public position |
| Healthcare | Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsOfficial action · low | Add a government plan anyone can buy into (a public option)Questionnaire answer · medium |
| Abortion | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestSaid · low | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Questionnaire answer · low |
| Guns | Keep current laws and enforce what is already on the booksSaid · medium | No public position |
| School choice | Yes, universal school choice for every familyVoted · high | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Policing and crime | Tougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailSaid · high | No public position |
| Election rules | Strict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsQuestionnaire answer · high | No public position |
| Gender care for minors | No public position | Leave it to parents and doctorsQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Term limits | Yes, strict limits, such as three House terms and two Senate termsQuestionnaire answer · medium | No public position |
| Campaign finance | Keep today's rules: capped gifts to candidates, unlimited independent spendingQuestionnaire answer · low | No public position |
| Ranked-choice voting | No, ban ranked-choice voting in all electionsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Death penalty | Expand it and use it more often, including for crimes like child rapeSaid · medium | No public position |
| Qualified immunity | Yes, and strengthen it by writing it into law and covering officers' legal costsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Childcare and pre-K | No public position | Offer free pre-K to every 4-year-old, and expand childcare aidQuestionnaire answer · low |
| Kids online | Ban social media accounts for minorsOfficial action · medium | No public position |
| School vaccines | End school vaccine requirements; leave it to parentsSaid · medium | No public position |
| Transgender athletes | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsOfficial action · high | No public position |
| DEI programs | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Religion in schools | Support laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsVoted · medium | None from the school: no required displays, prayer periods or Bible lessonsQuestionnaire answer · low |
| China policy | Get tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesVoted · medium | No public position |
Susan DuBose
Republican · IncumbentAlabama State Representative, District 45
Susan DuBose has represented District 45 in the Alabama House since November 20221. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she holds a finance degree from the University of South Alabama and an M.B.A. from Spring Hill College, worked as a commercial lending officer at Compass Bank, and led the Republican Women of North Shelby County1. She faces Democrat Toni Kornegay Vaughn on the November 3, 2026 ballot2.
Where they stand 21 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionshigh
Official action · high confidenceSchool choiceYes, universal school choice for every familyhigh
Voted · high confidence- Voted for HB129, the CHOOSE Act (roll call 131), which created education savings accounts of up to 7,000 dollars per student for private school and other education costs, open to all families starting in the 2027-28 school year (passed 69 to 34). (2024-02-27) source
- Says children all learn differently and educational options for families will produce the best results, and cites the CHOOSE Act. (2026) source
Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotshigh
Questionnaire answer · high confidence- In her 2022 Ballotpedia survey, said absentee ballots should be for authorized reasons only, called for no drop boxes, a paper ballot backing each electronic vote, and election audits, and said she supports the current voter ID law. (2022) source
- Her campaign site calls for post-election audits and citizenship verification at voter registration. (2026) source
- Voted for SB1 on final passage (roll call 217), which made it a crime to be paid, or to pay someone, to help a voter fill out or deliver an absentee ballot application (passed 75 to 28). (2024-03-07) source
Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailhigh
Said · high confidence- Supports stronger penalties for serious crimes, strengthening Aniah's Law, and denying bail to repeat violent offenders. (2026) source
- Voted for HB202, the Back the Blue Act (roll call 364), which gives law enforcement officers immunity from civil suits and criminal charges for conduct within their discretionary authority, with exceptions for reckless conduct and constitutional violations (passed 75 to 26). (2025-03-06) source
- Was listed as a cosponsor of HB126, which would require a pretrial detention hearing without exception, and a request to deny bail, when a defendant is charged with a Class A felony causing death or attempted murder; it did not become law. (2026-01-13) source
GunsKeep current laws and enforce what is already on the booksmedium
Said · medium confidence- Says she will not vote for any measure that limits law-abiding citizens' access to the weapons they choose. (2026) source
Term limitsYes, strict limits, such as three House terms and two Senate termsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said two terms (eight years) is enough for the State House and State Senate and that she supported a term limits bill. (2022) source
School vaccinesEnd school vaccine requirements; leave it to parentsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Says parents, not the government, should make the medical, educational and vaccination decisions for their minor children. (2026) source
DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for SB129 on final passage (roll call 222), which bars public universities, K-12 schools and state agencies from funding diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs (passed 75 to 28). (2024-03-07) source
Qualified immunityYes, and strengthen it by writing it into law and covering officers' legal costsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for HB202, the Back the Blue Act (roll call 364), which gives law enforcement officers immunity from civil suits and criminal charges for conduct within their discretionary authority, with exceptions for reckless conduct and constitutional violations (passed 75 to 26). (2025-03-06) source
Ranked-choice votingNo, ban ranked-choice voting in all electionsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for SB186 on final passage (roll call 1092), which bans ranked-choice voting in Alabama elections (passed 74 to 28). (2024-05-02) source
Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for HB178 on final passage (roll call 886), which would have required the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public K-12 school common areas (passed 81 to 11; the bill later died in the Senate). (2025-04-17) source
- Voted for SB99 on final passage (roll call 1347), which requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments in grade 5 through 12 classrooms and common areas when donated posters are available (passed 81 to 10). (2026-04-09) source
China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for HB379 on third reading (roll call 637), the House version that would have barred Chinese citizens, companies and government entities from acquiring real property in Alabama (passed 73 to 23); later voted for the narrower final version limited to the governments of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia (roll call 849, passed 80 to 18). (2023-05-09) source
Kids onlineBan social media accounts for minorsmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Was listed as a cosponsor of HB235, which would have barred anyone under 16 from creating a social media account and required platforms to verify users' ages; the bill did not advance out of committee. (2025-02-06) source
Death penaltyExpand it and use it more often, including for crimes like child rapemedium
Said · medium confidence- Says on her campaign site that sex offenders who violate the youngest children should face stiffer penalties including the death penalty in some cases. (2026) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
Said · low confidence- States on her campaign site that she is 100 percent pro-life and that all human life begins at conception. (2026) source
Campaign financeKeep today's rules: capped gifts to candidates, unlimited independent spendinglow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Said Alabama is one of only five states allowing unlimited contributions from special interest groups and that it needs to stop. (2022) source
Business regulationCut red tape, but keep core safety and environmental ruleslow
HealthcarePrivate insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionslow
Official action · low confidence- Was listed as a cosponsor of HB477, which lets a nonprofit agricultural organization offer health benefit plans to members outside state insurance regulation; it was signed into law (Act 2025-296). (2025-03-20) source
Curriculum and booksNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted for HB130 on final passage (roll call 734), which would have barred classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation through grade 12 and required staff to use pronouns matching a student's sex (passed 74 to 25; the bill later died in the Senate). (2024-04-23) source
- Supports parental access to curriculum and instructional materials. (2026) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted for SB53 on final passage (roll call 1181), which created state crimes of concealing or smuggling a person in the country illegally and set a process for checking a detainee's immigration status (passed 80 to 18). (2025-05-06) source
RedistrictingNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted for SB5 (roll call 5), the congressional district map the Legislature drew after a federal court ordered a redraw (passed 76 to 27). (2023-07-21) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Energy and climate, Housing and growth, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Electoral College, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate.
Toni Kornegay Vaughn
DemocratRetired insurance claims executive
Toni Kornegay Vaughn is a University of Alabama finance graduate who spent her career in the insurance claims industry, retiring as a senior regional vice president overseeing 40 branch offices for a national independent adjusting company1. She has lived in North Shelby County since 1980 and served on the State Democratic Executive Committee12. She faces Republican incumbent Susan DuBose on the November 3, 2026 ballot3.
Where they stand 8 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Listed repealing the CHOOSE Act and protecting funding for Alabama public schools among her education priorities. (2026) source
HealthcareAdd a government plan anyone can buy into (a public option)medium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidenceGender care for minorsLeave it to parents and doctorsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Strongly disagreed that attempts to transition a child constitute child abuse, and said transition should be discussed between parents and qualified medical providers, not politicians. (2026) source
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Asked about elective abortion, said it is a question that should be left to a woman and her medical provider. (2026) source
Minimum wageRaise it to around $15low
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Said people should be paid a living wage and that Alabama's 7.25 dollar rate is not a living wage. (2026) source
Childcare and pre-KOffer free pre-K to every 4-year-old, and expand childcare aidlow
Religion in schoolsNone from the school: no required displays, prayer periods or Bible lessonslow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Said separation of church and state means religion should not enter government in any form. (2026) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitslow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Agreed that she supports sanctuary cities to protect undocumented people and said she strongly disagrees with the current ICE approach. (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Business regulation, Guns, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.