Nancy Worley

Nancy Worley (born November 7, 1951) is an American Democratic politician who was Alabama's Secretary of State from 2003 to 2007 and Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party from 2013 to 2019.[1]

Nancy Worley
Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party
In office April 22, 2013 – November 2, 2019 Acting: April 22, 2013 – October 5, 2013
Preceded by	Mark Kennedy
Succeeded by	Christopher J. England
50th Secretary of State of Alabama
In office January 20, 2003 – January 15, 2007
Governor	Bob Riley
Preceded by	James R. Bennett
Succeeded by	Beth Chapman
Personal details
Born	November 7, 1951 New Hope, Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of Montevallo (BA) Jacksonville State University (MA)

Biography

Worley was born in New Hope, Alabama.

Worley received a B.A. degree from the University of Montevallo and an M.A. from Jacksonville State University.[2] She has served on many commissions across the state of Alabama as an advocate for educators and women. Worley taught for 25 years in the Decatur School System, and served two terms as the president of the Alabama Education Association (AEA) from 1983-1984 and 1995-1997.[3] She has won various teaching awards including Teacher of the Year; a Teacher Hall of Fame nominee; honored by the Alabama Jaycees as Alabama’s Outstanding Young Educator; and Good Housekeeping’s "100 Young Women of Promise."[3]

She served as Alabama Secretary of State from 2003 to 2007. In the 2006 general election, she was defeated for re-election by then-State Auditor Beth Chapman.[1] Worley's tenure as Secretary of State included substantial reforms, including longer and uniform polling hours, voter identification, and automatic recounts in close races.[4]

Worley was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury in March 2007 on five misdemeanor and one felony charge. The charges, resulting from an investigation by the Alabama Attorney General, accuse Worley of soliciting support from five of her employees during her unsuccessful re-election campaign in 2006. A few days after the trial started, the presiding judge dropped the felony charge, and indefinitely postponed the trial of related misdemeanor charges.[5] In October, 2012, Worley plead guilty via a "best interest" plea on one misdemeanor count and agreed to pay a $100 fine.[6] Worley's lawyers revealed a letter, sent by State Treasurer Kay Ivey to her employees, soliciting campaign contributions for the 2008 presidential campaign of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Ivey was the Alabama chairwoman of Romney's campaign. Worley's lawyers pointed out that King had not prosecuted fellow Republican Ivey, as he had Worley.[7]

She was elected in 2013 by the Alabama Democratic Party to be chairwoman of the party in the Republican-dominated state, having previously served as interim Chair since April 2013 and Vice Chair since January 2007.[1][8]

In July 2015, Worley, five other former AEA presidents, and former AEA Associate Executive Secretary Joe L. Reed, accused the National Education Association of violating its bylaws and overstepping its role in regards to the AEA.[9]

In August 2019, Worley and Deputy Chair Randy Kelley were stripped of their credentials as members of the Democratic National Committee for not complying with DNC demands for revisions to the ADP bylaws.

On November 2nd, 2019 Worley was removed as the chair with a unanimous vote.

Worley and her role in the controversial election and preceding events were the subject of a three-part series entitled "The Real Enemy,"[10][11][12] produced by Emmanuel Dzotsi for the podcast Reply All.

References

1. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20130420/NEWS02/304190033/Alabama-Democrat-Party-Chairman-Mark-Kennedy-resign-Monday
2. Alabama State Archives Biography: Nancy Worley
3. "Alabama Department of Archives and History: Secretary of State Nancy Worley". www.archives.alabama.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
4. "Campaign hinges on Worley's record," The Montgomery Advertiser, October 15, 2006, p. C3
5. Judge Throws Out Felony Charges against Worley; The Birmingham News, July 12, 2007
6. Alabama Democrat settles misdemeanor case for soliciting staff when she was Secretary of State; Associated Press , October 19, 2012
7. "Attorneys Compare Worley, Ivey Letters," The Huntsville Times, July 11, 2007, p. 1B
8. "Nancy Worley is first woman to lead Alabama Democrats". TuscaloosaNews.com. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
9. "Former AEA officials accuse NEA of 'takeover'". The Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
10. "#152 The Real Enemy, Part 1 | Reply All". Gimlet. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
11. "#153 The Real Enemy, Part 2 | Reply All". Gimlet. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
12. "#154 The Real Enemy, Part 3 | Reply All". Gimlet. Retrieved 2020-01-15.

External links

• Tuscaloosa News Story
• Alabama Democratic Party