Coroner Race in Crisis | Birmingham News

Birmingham AL News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 9, 2026 · 2m

Elmore County’s GOP is in a bind after their coroner nominee, Douglas Neighbors, was arrested for allegedly stealing $250K from a volunteer fire department — forcing them to scramble for a replacement with no Democratic challenger in sight. The coroner’s $60K budget? Only $18K actually goes to salary — a figure current coroner Dalan Gassett says barely covers the job’s 24/7 demands, personal vehicle use, and sprawling jurisdiction. He’s been pushing for a raise for years, calling the pay “unreasonable” and noting it’s a statewide crisis — especially when you factor in the physical and…