Who is running for State Representative, District 54 in 2026?

Alabama State Representative, District 54

Neil Rafferty has represented District 54 in Birmingham in the Alabama House since November 2018¹². He is a former Marine Corps corporal who earned a degree in English and political science from UAB in 2010 and worked for Birmingham AIDS Outreach¹. He is the only candidate on the ballot for the seat in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.

Where they stand 16 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• Gender care for minorsLeave it to parents and doctorsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • During House debate on SB184 he said 'This is wrong' and that the bill was undermining family rights, health rights and access to health care. (2022-04-07) source
  • Voted against House passage of SB184, which made it a felony to provide puberty blockers, hormones or surgery to a minor for gender transition (passed 66 to 28). (2022-04-07) source
• Death penaltyAbolish it and use life without parole insteadmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was the lead sponsor of HB544, which would have repealed Alabama's death penalty; it did not advance out of committee. (2021) source
  • Was the lead sponsor of HB248, which would have prohibited executions by nitrogen hypoxia; it did not advance out of committee. (2024) source
• Election rulesEasier access: automatic registration and mail voting for anyonemedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was the lead sponsor of HB433, which would have allowed voter registration on Election Day; he filed the same bill as HB486 in 2019. Neither advanced. (2021) source
  • Voted against House passage of SB1, which made it a crime to distribute pre-filled absentee ballot applications or to be paid for helping voters with them (passed 75 to 28). (2024-03-07) source
  • Voted against House passage of HB285, which banned curbside voting and required voting machines to stay inside polling places (passed 74 to 25). (2021-03-18) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of HB117, which would allow any registered voter to vote absentee without an excuse; it did not become law. (2024-02-06) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of HB270, which would set up in-person early voting; it did not become law. (2026-01-15) source
• MarijuanaMedical use onlymedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted for SB236 on third reading (roll call 1275), which created a state medical marijuana program for patients with qualifying conditions (passed 80 to 19). (2019-05-31) source
  • Voted for House passage of SB46, which legalized medical cannabis for patients with qualifying conditions (passed 68 to 34). (2021-05-06) source
• Policing and crimeFund police and add reforms like body cameras and use-of-force limitsmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a cosponsor of HB5, which would have set limits on police use of physical force, banned chokeholds and required use-of-force reporting; it did not become law. (2022-01-11) source
• HealthcareKeep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is brokenlow

  Said · low confidence

  • His campaign site says he is demanding Medicaid expansion so 300,000 Alabamians can get coverage and to save rural and urban hospitals. (2026) source
• Minimum wageNo single answer fitslow

  Official action · low confidence

  • Was the lead sponsor of HB291, which would repeal the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right-to-Work Act, the law that blocks cities from setting their own minimum wage; it did not advance. (2025) source
  • His campaign site lists fighting for living wages among his economic goals. (2026) source
• GunsNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against House passage of HB272, which allowed adults to carry a concealed handgun without a permit (passed 65 to 37), and voted against concurring in the final version on March 10, 2022 (70 to 29). (2022-02-22) source
  • Was the lead sponsor of HB462 (2022), which would have created a voluntary do-not-sell list that people could join to bar themselves from buying firearms; it did not pass. (2022) source
• Housing and growthNo single answer fitslow

  Official action · low confidence

  • Was the lead sponsor of HB404, signed into law in 2026, which authorizes Birmingham to establish community land trusts for affordable housing. (2026) source
• RedistrictingNo single answer fitslow

  Said · low confidence

  • His campaign site calls recent redistricting decisions racial gerrymandering and 'a heartbreaking and disastrous moment.' (2026) source
• School choiceNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against final House passage of HB129, the CHOOSE Act, which created state-funded education savings accounts that families can use for private school tuition and other education costs (passed 69 to 34). (2024-02-27) source
• DEI programsNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against House passage of SB129, which bars public colleges and state agencies from maintaining diversity, equity and inclusion offices or programs and restricts teaching of listed divisive concepts (passed 75 to 28). (2024-03-07) source
• Qualified immunityNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against House passage of HB202, which expanded law enforcement officers' immunity from civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution over use of force and created a pretrial immunity hearing (passed 75 to 26), and voted against concurring in the final version on May 14, 2025 (73 to 28). (2025-03-06) source
• Religion in schoolsNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against House passage of HB178, which would have required public K-12 schools to display the Ten Commandments in a common area (passed the House 81 to 11; it died in the Senate). (2025-04-17) source
  • Voted against House passage of SB99, which requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments in common areas and certain classrooms when donated funds are available (passed 81 to 10 and was signed into law). (2026-04-09) source
• Transgender athletesNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against House passage of HB391, which required public K-12 school sports teams to be based on biological sex (passed 74 to 19). (2021-03-18) source
• Business regulationNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against House passage of SB71, which bars state agencies from adopting environmental rules stricter than federal requirements without a stated justification (passed 68 to 34). (2026-02-17) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Abortion, Immigration, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, China policy.