Walt Maddox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walt Maddox
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Maddox in 2011
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| 36th Mayor of Tuscaloosa | |
| Assumed office October 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Al DuPont |
| Member of the Tuscaloosa City Council from the 6th district |
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| In office October 1, 2001 – October 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Clell Hobson |
| Succeeded by | Bob Lundell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Walter Thomas Maddox
December 27, 1972 Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Robin Maddox
(m. 1998; div. 2008)Stephanie Roberts
(m. 2010) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Alabama at Birmingham (BA, MPA) |
Walter Thomas Maddox was born on December 27, 1972. He is an American politician. He has been the 36th mayor of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, since 2005. Before becoming mayor, he served on the Tuscaloosa City Council from 2001 to 2005. He also worked as a director for the Tuscaloosa City Schools.
In 2018, Walter Maddox ran for governor of Alabama. He was the candidate for the Democratic Party. He lost the election to the current governor, Kay Ivey.
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Early Life and Education
Walter Maddox grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He went to schools in the Tuscaloosa City Schools system. In 1991, he graduated from Central High School.
He then went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. There, he earned a degree in political science. He also earned a Master's degree in Public Administration.
From 1996 to 2001, Maddox worked for the Alabama Education Association. In 2001, he became the executive director of personnel for Tuscaloosa City Schools. That same year, he was elected to the Tuscaloosa City Council. He won against Clell Hobson. He promised to improve education and reduce crime.
Mayor of Tuscaloosa
In 2005, the longtime Tuscaloosa mayor, Al DuPont, retired. Walter Maddox decided to run for mayor. He was not expected to win against Sammy Watson, a former city councilman.
In the first vote, Maddox came in second place. This meant there had to be another vote, called a runoff. Maddox won the runoff election on September 13, 2005. He became mayor on October 3, 2005.
On August 25, 2009, Maddox was reelected as mayor. No one ran against him. He was reelected again on August 27, 2013, also without anyone running against him. During his time as mayor, he worked to help the city's economy grow. He also started programs like Tuscaloosa 311 to help people get better city services. He also helped create pre-kindergarten classes for young children who needed extra help.
In 2017, Maddox had an opponent for the first time since 2005. He ran against Stepfon Lewis. Maddox won with 89% of the votes. He started his fourth term as mayor on May 22, 2017.
On March 2, 2021, Walter Maddox was elected for his fifth term. He won with 56% of the votes. He ran against Serena Fortenberry and Martin Houston.
Responding to the 2011 Tornado
On April 27, 2011, a very strong tornado hit Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. This tornado was part of a huge storm system. It caused a lot of damage and sadly, 44 people in Tuscaloosa County died. The city had about $927 million in damage.
Mayor Maddox showed strong leadership after the storm. He worked with officials like President Barack Obama to help the city recover. About 12% of the city was destroyed. Around 5,300 homes and businesses were badly damaged or ruined. Many people praised Mayor Maddox for his efforts to rebuild Tuscaloosa. The Wall Street Journal newspaper said his response was brave. They said he tried to make Tuscaloosa a "showpiece" of healthy and safe neighborhoods.
Learning at Harvard Kennedy School
Walter Maddox is a special member at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He works with a program that teaches about leading during a crisis. In August 2019, he became a senior member of this program. He shares what he learned from leading Tuscaloosa's recovery after the tornado.
Running for Governor in 2018
On October 5, 2017, Walter Maddox announced he would run for governor of Alabama. He said that the state needed better leadership. He pointed out that Alabama was low in areas like education and healthcare.
He won the primary election on June 5, 2018. This meant he became the Democratic candidate for governor. In November, he ran against the Republican governor, Kay Ivey, and lost.
Personal Life
Walter Maddox married Robin Maddox on December 27, 1998. They had a daughter together. They later divorced in 2008. On June 26, 2010, he married Stephanie Nicole Roberts. Their son was born in 2013.
See also
- List of mayors of Tuscaloosa, Alabama
