Joshua Brown has been elected as the first Black mayor of Bay Minette, Alabama. The 32-year-old lifelong resident unseated three-term incumbent Bob Wills in a political upset on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Brown will officially take office on November 3 as the city’s 18th mayor since 1907.

The final tally showed Brown with 871 votes, while Wills received 750. That gave Brown 54% of the total vote. A large turnout at the Boykin Center precinct, where Brown secured a 282-10 advantage, proved decisive in his victory.

“This is historic,” Brown said after his win. “But the work is just beginning. We have to make life better for every family in Bay Minette.”

Brown’s victory was powered by grassroots efforts andstrong voter engagement. He and his supporters made thousands of phone calls, sent text reminders, and held community events to connect with residents.

“I’ve been volunteering here since I was a teenager,” Brown explained. “From music to youth programs to fundraising, this community shaped me. I wanted people to know I was ready to serve.”

His opponent, Bob Wills, acknowledged the effectiveness of Brown’s campaign and the voter turnout it inspired. “It was a surprise,” Wills admitted. “A lot of people who had never voted before came out, and I have to give them credit.”

At just 32, Brown is also among the youngest leaders to hold the city’s top post. While Jimmy Faulkner Sr. was elected at 25 in 1941, Brown represents a new generation of leadership.

His priorities include economicdevelopment and job creation. Bay Minette is preparing for the arrival of the $4.1 billion Novelis aluminum plant, expected to bring 1,000 jobs with average salaries around $65,000. Brown plans to leverage this growth while also recruiting smaller businesses to diversify the city’s economy.

“What industries are missing here? That’s what we’ll go find,” he said. “We need both large and small businesses to create a balanced economy.”

Bay Minette faces significant economic challengesdespite its roleas Baldwin County’s government center. The city’s poverty rate sits at nearly 30%, compared to under 16% for the county overall. Median household income is less than $40,000, far below nearby communities like Daphne and Fairhope.

Brown said his administration will focus on lifting families out of poverty while supporting education and youth programs. “We need to invest in our young people,” he noted. “That means culture, arts, academics, and better partnerships with our schools.”

While Brown acknowledged the historic significance of being Bay Minette’s first Black mayor, he stressed that his win was about unity.

“This isn’t just about me,” he said. “It’s about working together for your families. We all share the same struggles, the same hopes. We have more in common than we have differences, so let’s move forward as one community.”

As Bay Minette prepares for a wave of economic change, Brown’s election marks the beginning of a new chapter for the city. For now, he is celebrating his grassroots success while preparing to turn promises into policy.