Jefferson County Elects First Black Female Judges to Probate Court in Alabama

By Barnett Wright and Sym Posey The Birmingham Times Democrats Yashiba “Red” Blanchard and Jameria Moore on Tuesday became the first Black female judges elected to Jefferson County Probate Court in Alabama. Jefferson, Alabama’s most populous county, has never had an elected Black probate court judge male or female. According to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election with 98 percent of the vote counted, Blanchard received 143,971 votes or 52.22 percent to defeat Republican John Amari who received 131,502 votes or 47.70 percent for the Probate Court Place 1 seat. Moore received 145,125 votes or 52.74 percent to defeat Republican Joel Blankenship, 129,839 votes, or 47.19 in the race for Place 2 seat. Voter turnout was 56.82 percent. Probate courts have jurisdiction over matters dealing with wills, estates, real property, mental illness, and adoption. “I’m so elated that the citizens of Jefferson County have put their trust in me to lead in this position,” said Blanchard from her Watch Party at Dread River Distillery on the Southside. “I had a magnificent team with God first, my family, my husband, my children. We put it all together and made it happen.” Moore said she was also elated by the results. “I love...