1982 Alabama Supreme Court election

1982 Alabama Supreme Court Democratic primary, place 2
← 1976 September 7, 1982 1988 →
	County results; Beatty: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Justice before election; Sam Beatty; Democratic	Elected Justice ; Sam Beatty; Democratic

1982 Alabama Supreme Court election, place 1
← 1976 November 2, 1982 1988 →
	County results; Maddox: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%
Justice before election; Hugh Maddox; Democratic	Elected Justice ; Hugh Maddox; Democratic

The 1982 Alabama Supreme Court election was held on November 2, 1982, to elect four justices to the Supreme Court of Alabama, including the chief justice. Primary elections were held on September 7, and a primary runoff election was held on September 28.

Chief Justice

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Bo Torbert, incumbent chief justice^[1]

General election

Results

1982 Alabama Supreme Court chief justice election^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bo Torbert (incumbent)	668,627	100.00
Total votes	668,627	100.00

Place 1

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Hugh Maddox, incumbent justice^[3]

Eliminated in primary

Lawrence A. Anderson, lawyer^[3]

Endorsements

Hugh Maddox

Newspapers

The Selma Times-Journal^[4]

Results

Democratic primary^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Hugh Maddox (incumbent)	439,273	69.32
	Democratic	Lawrence A. Anderson	194,423	30.68
Total votes	633,696	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Harry Lyons, lawyer^[3]

General election

Results

1982 Alabama Supreme Court election, place 1^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Hugh Maddox (incumbent)	674,986	78.57
	Republican	Harry Lyons	184,056	21.43
Total votes	859,042	100.00

Place 2

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Sam Beatty, incumbent justice^[3]

Eliminated in primary

Claude Allison, lawyer^[3]

Endorsements

Sam Beatty

Newspapers

The Selma Times-Journal^[4]

Results

Democratic primary^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Beatty (incumbent)	431,912	70.64
	Democratic	Claude Allison	179,486	29.36
Total votes	611,398	100.00

General election

Results

1982 Alabama Supreme Court election, place 2^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Beatty (incumbent)	653,349	100.00
Total votes	653,349	100.00

Place 3

1982 Alabama Supreme Court Democratic primary runoff, place 3

← 1976

September 28, 1982

1988 →


Candidate	Oscar Adams	Jim Zeigler
Party	Democratic	Democratic
Popular vote	436,462	419,789
Percentage	51.0%	49.0%

County results
Adams: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Zeigler: 50–60% 60–70%

Justice before election

Oscar Adams
Democratic

Elected Justice

Oscar Adams
Democratic

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Oscar Adams, incumbent justice^[3]

Eliminated in runoff

Jim Zeigler, member of the Alabama Public Service Commission (1974–1978)^[3]

Eliminated in primary

George Williams, lawyer^[3]

Endorsements

Oscar Adams

Statewide officials

Charles Graddick, attorney general of Alabama^[5]
Fob James, governor of Alabama (1979–1983)^[5]

Newspapers

The Selma Times-Journal^[4]

Results

Democratic primary^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Oscar Adams (incumbent)	303,150	41.81
	Democratic	Jim Zeigler	229,741	31.69
	Democratic	George Williams	192,121	26.50
Total votes	725,012	100.00

Runoff

Results

Democratic primary runoff^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Oscar Adams (incumbent)	436,462	50.97
	Democratic	Jim Zeigler	419,789	49.03
Total votes	856,251	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Disqualified

Tom Hayden, perennial candidate^[6]

General election

Results

1982 Alabama Supreme Court election, place 3^[2]
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Oscar Adams (incumbent)	660,153	100.00
Total votes	660,153	100.00

References

↑ "Chief Justice Bo Torbert plans to seek re-election". The Daily Sentinel. Associated Press. January 22, 1982. p. 2. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Election Results Archive - State Supreme Court". Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bailey, Stan (August 1, 1982). "Three incumbents on Supreme Court face challengers". The Birmingham News. pp. 18A–19A. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
1 2 3 "Our Opinion". The Selma-Times Journal. August 31, 1982. p. 4. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
1 2 Weaver, Kendal (September 26, 1982). "Governor's race highlights Tuesday's voting". Mobile Press Register. Associated Press. p. 8-A. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
↑ "Hayden says own party 'torpedoed' his Supreme Court candidacy". Birmingham Post-Herald. Associated Press. October 7, 1982. p. 1. Retrieved April 13, 2026.

[1] "Chief Justice Bo Torbert plans to seek re-election". The Daily Sentinel. Associated Press. January 22, 1982. p. 2. Retrieved April 13, 2026.

[Results-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Election Results Archive - State Supreme Court". Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved April 13, 2026.

[BTimesChallenge-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bailey, Stan (August 1, 1982). "Three incumbents on Supreme Court face challengers". The Birmingham News. pp. 18A–19A. Retrieved April 13, 2026.

[STJEndorse-4] 1 2 3 "Our Opinion". The Selma-Times Journal. August 31, 1982. p. 4. Retrieved April 13, 2026.

[APAdams-5] 1 2 Weaver, Kendal (September 26, 1982). "Governor's race highlights Tuesday's voting". Mobile Press Register. Associated Press. p. 8-A. Retrieved April 13, 2026.

[6] "Hayden says own party 'torpedoed' his Supreme Court candidacy". Birmingham Post-Herald. Associated Press. October 7, 1982. p. 1. Retrieved April 13, 2026.

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