Who is running for State Senator, District 18 in 2026?

Alabama State Senator, District 18

Rodger M. Smitherman has represented District 18 in the Alabama Senate since 1994¹. He earned a B.B.A. from the University of Montevallo and a J.D. from Miles Law School¹. He is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot².

Where they stand 18 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• MarijuanaMedical use onlymedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted for SB46 on third reading (roll call 251), which created a state medical cannabis program (passed 20 to 10). (2021-02-24) source
• GunsAdd universal background checks and red-flag lawsmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Voted against HB272 on third reading (roll call 480), which allows carrying a concealed handgun without a permit (passed 23 to 6). (2022-03-03) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB399, which would require background checks on firearm purchases from licensed dealers and on transfers between unlicensed people; it did not become law. (2021-04-20) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB170, the Gun Violence Protective Order Act, which would let courts order guns surrendered when a person poses an immediate danger; it did not become law. (2025-02-13) source
• Minimum wageRaise it modestlymedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB171, which would set a state minimum wage of $10 an hour starting in 2027 and exempt employers with 50 or fewer employees; it did not become law. (2026-01-15) source
• School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted for SB85 on final passage (roll call 493), which would let parents claim a religious exemption from school vaccine requirements without stating a reason and extend the exemption to college students (passed 26 to 5; the bill later died in the House). (2025-04-03) source
• AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low

  Official action · low confidence

  • Voted against final passage of HB314 (roll call 719), which made performing an abortion a felony with an exception for a serious health risk to the mother and no exception for rape or incest (passed 25 to 6). (2019-05-14) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB417, which would have repealed the 2019 abortion ban (Act 2019-189); it did not become law. (2019-05-21) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB220, which would have repealed the 2019 abortion ban (Act 2019-189); it did not become law. (2020-02-20) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB34, which would have repealed the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, the 2019 abortion ban; it did not become law. (2023-03-07) source
• Election rulesPhoto ID, but with free IDs and more early votinglow

  Official action · low confidence

  • Voted against SB1 on third reading (roll call 28), 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 27 to 8). (2024-02-13) source
  • Was the lead sponsor of SB335, which would allow any registered voter to vote absentee without an excuse; it did not become law. (2020-05-04) source
  • Was the lead sponsor of SB376, which would allow any registered voter to vote absentee without an excuse; it did not become law. (2021-04-01) source
• School choiceOnly public charter schools, not private schoolslow

  Official action · low confidence

  • Voted against HB129, the CHOOSE Act (roll call 180), 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 23 to 9). (2024-03-06) source
  • Was the lead sponsor of SB387, which would revise how public charter schools receive operating funds; it did not become law. (2021-04-08) source
• Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodslow

  Official action · low confidence

  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB166, which would have required the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public K-12 schools; it did not become law. (2025-02-12) source
  • Recorded as 'pass' (not voting) on Senate passage of SB99, the 2026 Ten Commandments display law (passed 28 to 6). (2026-03-31) source
• Policing and crimeFund police and add reforms like body cameras and use-of-force limitslow

  Official action · low confidence

  • Was the lead sponsor of SB21, which would prohibit racial profiling in traffic stops and require written policies and stop statistics; it did not become law. (2019-03-05) source
  • Was the lead sponsor of SB251, which would require sensitivity training for law enforcement officers and recruitment of social workers by law enforcement; it did not become law. (2019-04-09) source
• Qualified immunityNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against HB202, the Back the Blue Act (roll call 1085), 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 25 to 6). (2025-05-14) source
  • Said of the police immunity bill that it puts Black people's lives in danger. (2025-05-15) source
• Gender care for minorsNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against SB184 on third reading (roll call 383), which made it a felony to provide puberty blockers, hormones or surgery to a minor to alter gender (passed 24 to 6). (2022-02-23) source
• Transgender athletesNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against HB391 on third reading (roll call 1008), which requires K-12 public school sports teams to be based on biological sex (passed 25 to 5). (2021-04-15) source
• DEI programsNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against SB129 on third reading (roll call 69), which bars public universities, K-12 schools and state agencies from funding diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs (passed 26 to 7). (2024-02-22) source
• ImmigrationNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against SB53 on third reading (roll call 96), 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 24 to 8). (2025-02-13) source
  • Voted against SB63 (roll call 86), which requires law enforcement to collect DNA and fingerprints from people in custody who are in the country illegally (passed 24 to 7). (2025-02-13) source
  • Voted against HB56 on third reading (roll call 608), the 2011 state immigration law that, among other provisions, required all Alabama employers to use E-Verify and let police check immigration status during stops (passed 23 to 11). (2011-05-05) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB53, which created state crimes of concealing a person in the country illegally and human smuggling; he then voted against it on third reading. (2025-02-04) source
  • Was listed as a cosponsor of SB63, which requires law enforcement to collect fingerprints and DNA from people in custody who are in the country illegally; he then voted against it on third reading. (2025-02-04) source
• E-Verify mandateNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against HB56 on third reading (roll call 608), the 2011 state immigration law that, among other provisions, required all Alabama employers to use E-Verify and let police check immigration status during stops (passed 23 to 11). (2011-05-05) source
• Kids onlineNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against SB187 on final passage (roll call 749), which would require app stores to verify users' ages and get parental consent before minors download apps (passed 26 to 6; the bill later died in the House). (2025-04-17) source
• China policyNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against the Senate version of HB379 (roll call 856), which bars the governments of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia and entities they control from acquiring real property in Alabama (passed 26 to 7). (2023-05-18) source
• RedistrictingNo single answer fitslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted against SB5 on third reading (roll call 10), the congressional district map the Legislature drew after a federal court ordered a redraw (passed 24 to 8). (2023-07-19) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Business regulation, Healthcare, Energy and climate, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Nuclear power.