It began with a phone call.
asserted
It → begin → call
A grassroots write-in campaign had been launched weeks before Tuesday's midterm election in an effort to keep longtime Alabama Sheriff Jay Jones in office.
asserted
campaign → launch → office
Jones was ousted in May by about 300 votes in a bitterly fought Republican primary in Lee County by a former sheriff's deputy, Cameron Hunt.
uncertain
Jones → oust → deputy
"Somebody has started this write-in campaign," Lee County resident Jack Carter said, recalling his recent phone conversation, in an interview with CBS News.
asserted
Carter → start → News
"And I said, really?"
asserted
I → say → ?
Carter said he had spoken with others about trying to write in their votes for Jones after the primary, but nothing ever materialized — until he got that phone call.
asserted
he → say → call
He said he didn't know who was behind the campaign, and it's challenging to find out.
asserted
it → say → campaign
A Facebook page dedicated to the "write-in campaign" lists a Proton email address, which is an encrypted account.
asserted
which → dedicate → address
A query to the email address from a CBS News reporter went unanswered.
asserted
query → go → reporter
Carter, a former sheriff's deputy — who said Jones was a mentor — and now a local furniture maker, said he was directed to a woman with access to campaign signs reading, "On Election Day write in Sheriff Jay Jones."
asserted
he → say → Jones
Soon, the signs began popping up across yards, pickup trucks and local businesses.
asserted
signs → begin → yards
He placed one in the back of his black Ram pickup truck and posted a picture online.
asserted
He → place → picture
Then, things began to "blow up," he said.
asserted
he → begin → ?
Supporters of Hunt accused Jones' camp of being sore losers, while Jones' supporters insisted voters have every right to write in any candidate they choose.
asserted
they → accuse → candidate
Social media posts captured signs being stolen from yards, accompanied by mounting accusations and online bickering.
asserted
posts → capture → accusations
"This has not gone the way that this needs to go," Carter said, adding, "It's chaotic."
asserted
It → go → ?
Sheriff Jones said he was "humbled" by the grassroots campaign in an interview with CBS News, saying, "I was not involved and nor have I solicited anyone for votes."
asserted
I → say → votes
Jones wanted to make clear he isn't involved, as he claims the Alabama Republican Party threatened to remove him from the party because of the growing write-in campaign.
uncertain
Party → want → campaign
Sheriff elections and quality-of-life issues
While
dominate midterm headlines, down-ballot contests often play a far more direct role in shaping people's daily life.
asserted
contests → dominate → life
A sheriff sets local public safety priorities and typically oversees jail operations, budget allocation, response to crime and bail management.
asserted
sheriff → set → crime
Nationally, sheriffs are overwhelmingly White and male, according to a 2020 report released by a progressive group, Women's Donor Action, examining sheriff demographics.
uncertain
sheriffs → accord → demographics
In several states, the office is established by the state constitution, often allowing for broad authority — and for many counties the sheriff might be the most visible and powerful position around.
uncertain
sheriff → establish → counties
In 20 states, including Colorado, Alabama, Maryland, Utah and Wisconsin, most of the elected sheriffs are up for the vote, according to Yesim Karaman, a spokesperson at the National Sheriffs' Association, a national organization supporting training, education and advocacy.
uncertain
most → include → training
"They're policing, they're making sure that they have the good community relationships, they have the leadership in their counties, and they're responding to the citizens that they serve and who they're elected by," said Karaman.
asserted
Karaman → police → who
Sheriffs can also help shape regional policies such as immigration enforcement and gun control.
asserted
Sheriffs → help → enforcement
Several 2026 midterm contests feature debates over partnerships with federal immigration authorities, known as 287(g) agreements.
asserted
contests → feature → agreements
In Wisconsin, voters across two counties are weighing in directly on their local sheriffs' cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
asserted
voters → weigh → Enforcement
Jones and Hunt differed over various policy issues in their campaign, including immigration, guns and Flock intelligence.
asserted
Jones → differ → immigration
Jones said his office has often cooperated with ICE, but doesn't have a signed Memorandum of Understanding.
asserted
office → say → Understanding
He said there is misinformation around what this means for the county.
asserted
this → say → county
"We have cooperated with any request we received from ICE, from the local agencies here and federal agency offices in the state of Alabama, to actually
asserted
we → cooperate → Alabama
, and this is on record, in the last two years, we've actually transferred over 450 individuals to ICE custody from the Lee County Jail," he said.
asserted
he → transfer → Jail
However, Karaman cautioned that sheriffs' immigration abilities are often based on state law.
asserted
abilities → caution → law
"Whether a sheriff signs a 287(g) agreement and has the ability to cooperate extensively with ICE is a matter of state law and local politics," she said.
asserted
she → sign → law
Jones also said he supports the continuation of concealed carry permits, which are issued by the sheriff's office, because it helps keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
asserted
it → say → criminals
(Alabama law changed in 2023 to no longer require a permit to carry a concealed handgun in much of the state.)
asserted
law → change → state
He said he's in "full support of the Second Amendment."
asserted
he → say → Amendment
Hunt said he plans to sign a 287(g) agreement, supports open carry laws saying a permit isn't needed, and said publicly that he plans to end the county's Flock contract.
asserted
he → say → contract
He wrote in an email, "I strongly support the Second Amendment, believe immigration laws should be enforced, and recognize the importance of providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to protect our communities.
asserted
laws → write → communities
Notwithstanding the issues, many sheriffs are still running in nationwide races uncontested.
asserted
sheriffs → run → races
…and 33 more, not listed.
The Aporia
