- Patrick Braxton, aged 57, claims to have won the mayoral election in Newbern, Alabama in 2020.
- As per a lawsuit, white officials allegedly conspired to conduct a secret election in order to remove Braxton.
- Court documents reveal that Newbern has a population that is approximately 80% Black and 20% white.
A Black individual from Newbern, Alabama, who emerged victorious in the town’s mayoral election, is currently taking legal action against the incumbent mayor, accusing him of colluding to hold a special election to maintain his position of power.
Patrick Braxton, aged 57, is among the plaintiffs named in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed against the current mayor and other city officials. According to CBS, the other plaintiffs were individuals whom Braxton intended to appoint once he assumed office.
The lawsuit was submitted to the Southern Alabama District Court on April 14.
In the lawsuit, Braxton claims that Mayor Woodburn “Woody” Stokes, who is white, conspired with other officials to conceal the deadline for Braxton to submit his candidacy paperwork for the mayoral election.
According to court documents reviewed by Insider, Newbern is a small municipality in Hale County, Alabama, with a population that is 80% Black and 20% white.
Braxton asserts that he was the sole individual to submit paperwork for the mayoral race in Newbern by the July 16, 2020 deadline. However, Woodburn filed his intent to run on July 18, 2020, two days after the deadline, as stated in the court documents.
Braxton further claims that all the city council members at that time also submitted their candidacy paperwork late.
The lawsuit alleges that in August 2020, the city council was notified of Braxton’s impending mayoral position. However, a secret meeting of the city council was convened where a resolution was passed, calling for a new election and extending the deadline for candidacy filings.
“Defendants did not inform any of the public or citizens of the City of the election,” states the lawsuit. “In fact, the Defendants intentionally concealed the deadlines so that they could claim they were the only candidates for Mayor and City Councilman to file candidacy papers.”
The lawsuit further reveals that the second election never took place and that Braxton only discovered evidence of it when he came across discarded meeting minutes in City Hall. In those minutes, a councilman proposed a resolution acknowledging Braxton as the mayor, which passed unanimously. However, Woody alleged that Braxton’s election was a “mistake” and insisted on rectifying it through a new election, according to the lawsuit.
Newbern officials have not yet responded to Insider’s request for comment as of Sunday.
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