Birmingham, October 8, 2025
News Summary
In a recent Birmingham City Council runoff, incumbent J.T. Moore lost his re-election bid to challenger Brian Gunn, who secured over 67% of the votes. Moore’s campaign faced significant challenges following his DUI arrest last year. In other races, LaTonya Tate successfully defended her seat, while the Birmingham Board of Education also saw notable victories, including Yamika Foy’s win in District 9. Moore, reflecting on his loss, emphasized the importance of moving forward as he faces the city attorney’s review of his DUI incident.
Birmingham – J.T. Moore, the incumbent member of the Birmingham City Council, has lost his bid for re-election in the runoff election held on October 7. Moore’s re-election campaign was significantly affected by his arrest last year for driving under the influence (DUI) while operating a city vehicle. His challenger, Brian Gunn, achieved a decisive victory with over 67 percent of the total vote, garnering 676 votes compared to Moore’s 323 votes, with 99 percent of the votes counted.
Another incumbent, LaTonya Tate, successfully defended her District 9 seat against challenger John Hilliard, earning more than 55 percent of the vote, which amounted to 921 votes to Hilliard’s 734 votes. Additionally, the runoff elections included the District 8 seat that was previously held by Carol Clarke, which was won by Sonja Smith. Smith defeated April Williams with a solid 55 percent of the vote, translating to 867 votes against Williams’ 692.
In the Birmingham Board of Education runoffs, significant victories were also recorded. Yamika Foy won the District 9 seat against Eric Hall with 69 percent of the vote, or 1,126 votes to Hall’s 485 votes. In District 2 of the Birmingham Board of Education, Neonta Williams captured 53 percent of the votes against Terry Michal, with results showing 226 votes in favor of Williams and 197 for Michal. The race between Pamela Bass and Antwon Womack for the District 8 seat on the school board was notably close, with Womack leading by just 25 votes, achieving 755 votes to Bass’s 730 votes.
Following his DUI incident, Moore addressed the situation publicly for the first time, indicating he could not provide updates on the matter and emphasized a need to move forward as he prepares for the next electoral cycle in 2025. He expressed that he is taking responsibility for his past actions during a council meeting subsequent to his arrest.
Moore was discovered passed out in a city-owned vehicle on I-65 North, near Mobile County, having admitted to drinking prior to his arrest by Creola police. At the time of his arrest, Moore was participating in a panel discussion focused on community development and the significance of electoral participation.
The incident surrounding Moore’s DUI arrest is currently under review by the office of the city attorney, which has not provided any further comments as of this date. Notably, under a 1967 state law, city council members typically do not have access to city vehicles, although some exceptions are acknowledged.
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Additional Resources
- AL.com: Birmingham Councilman Loses Election
- ABC 33/40: J.T. Moore Addresses DUI Arrest
- WBRC: J.T. Moore Apologizes for DUI Arrest
- WVTM: Birmingham Councilor Moore Found Passed Out
- CBS 42: Birmingham Councilman Arrested for DUI
- Wikipedia: Birmingham, Alabama
- Google Search: Birmingham City Council
- Google Scholar: Birmingham City Council Elections
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Birmingham, Alabama
- Google News: Birmingham Councilman J.T. Moore
Author: STAFF HERE BIRMINGHAM WRITER
The BIRMINGHAM STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBirmingham.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Birmingham, Jefferson County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Sidewalk Film Festival, Sloss Music & Arts Festival, Magic City Classic, and civil rights commemorations. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Birmingham Business Alliance and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, plus leading businesses in healthcare, finance, and manufacturing that power the local economy such as UAB Medicine, Regions Bank, and Encompass Health. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREHuntsville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Alabama's dynamic landscape.
