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Thousands of community members within Dallas County have made their voices known at the polls for all candidates listed on their ballots Tuesday including two candidates that have a close tie to Selma, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and State Board of Education member, Tonya Smith Chestnut.

Within the United States Representative Seventh Congressional District race, Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell ran against Republican Robin Litaker, leaving Litaker behind by 80,239 votes in Tuesday’s general election.

The overall votes to finalize Sewell’s win was 186,407 votes, marking her just under the two-third vote percentile, and Litaker’s final run ended with 106,168 votes, resulting in her falling just over the one-third vote percentile.

“Despite the outcome (of the presidential election), my job remains the same. Where possible, I will work with the incoming administration to advance the needs of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District,” Sewell said in a statement. “But make no mistake—when it comes to protecting our fundamental freedoms, our democracy, and our most vulnerable Alabamians, I will never back down, and I will do everything in my power to hold the president accountable when necessary.”

For the next two years, Sewell will continue to serve as the U.S. Representative for the 7th Congressional District.

However, within the local sector of the general election involving the state of Alabama and the residents of Dallas County, Democrat Tonya Smith Chestnut takes the top vote for reelection as member of the State Board of Education for District NO.5.

“Well, I think one of the things that really made a difference within the election, regarding the public choosing me was that from the time I was initially elected as a school board member in 2020, I have consistently been involved in all 14 of my counties, supporting and visiting all 14 of the counties. I’m not just showing up to a school board meeting, but I am offering the support and being the board for those counties that I represent.”

Chestnut ran against Republican incumbent David W. Perry, leaving Perry behind by 25,957 votes in last night’s general election.

The overall votes to finalize Chestnut’s win was 141,374 votes, marking her just a couple of votes away from making the two-third vote percentile and Perry’s final run ended with 115,417 votes, resulting in him falling twenty-two percent below the actual two-thirds vote percentile.

“I’m not a stranger to education,” Chestnut said. I’ve been in education for 40 years, multiple decades and I have served in education at the K-12 level, the State Department of Education and higher education and I’ve had the experience as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, a central office administrator as well as a coaching administrator at the state level.”

Chestnut went on to say she has also served as a dean of teacher education and is very familiar with education and no stranger to the many counties that she represents.

“This is not a new commitment for me” Chestnut said. It’s a life-long passion that I have, to make sure that all children have the opportunity to quality education.

For the next four years, Chestnut will continue to serve District 5 that holds Autauga, Bullock, Choctaw, Clarke, Dallas, Lowndes and Macon county among many other counties in the Blackbelt.