Jesse Battles Certified for November Ballot, Will Challenge Incumbent Sen. Andrew Jones in District 10

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Local News | Monday, August 31, 2026

NORTHEAST ALABAMA — The race for Alabama State Senate District 10 is set for November, with independent candidate Jesse Battles of Attalla officially certified to appear on the general election ballot against incumbent Republican Sen. Andrew Jones of Centre.

The Alabama Secretary of State’s Office formally certified Battles as an independent candidate for Senate District 10 on Aug. 26. The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Battles announced the certification through his Jesse Battles for State Senate social media page, saying the campaign had successfully cleared the signature requirement needed to qualify as an independent candidate.

“Despite claims from my opponent that our signatures were ‘illegitimate’ because we gathered them ‘too fast,’ I’m proud to announce that the Alabama Secretary of State has officially certified our signatures, and my name will appear on the November 3rd ballot as an Independent,” Battles wrote.

Battles thanked supporters who assisted with the petition effort and said his campaign would continue through the fall.

According to previous reports, Battles and his campaign submitted more than 3,000 signatures from registered voters as part of the independent ballot-access effort.

Battles initially sought the Republican nomination for Senate District 10 but was removed from the Republican primary ballot earlier this year following a challenge reviewed by the Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee. He later announced he would continue his campaign as an independent.

Jones went on to face Amy Dozier Minton in the May 19 Republican primary, defeating Minton and securing the Republican nomination. Election reporting placed Jones at approximately 54% of the vote to Minton’s 46%.

Jones has represented District 10 since 2018 and is currently serving his second term.

In his latest campaign statement, Battles also expressed concerns that comments from his opponent and political allies could discourage voters from supporting his independent candidacy. Those concerns reflect statements made by the Battles campaign and have not been independently verified by The Weekly Ledger News.

Battles said Northeast Alabama voters should be allowed to make their own decision in the race, adding that he is asking voters for their support on Nov. 3.

Alabama Senate District 10 includes portions of Northeast Alabama, including Cherokee and Etowah counties and part of DeKalb County.

The Alabama Secretary of State’s official 2026 election information page lists the statewide General Election for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.

The Weekly Ledger News will continue to provide election coverage involving candidates in our coverage area as the November General Election approaches.

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