Former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill on his family's political history and why he wanted to be Secretary of State

Christopher M Peeks
Apr 16
2 min read

By Christopher M Peeks April 16, 2025

Former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill

On our April 14th, 2025 podcast, of the BCS, State of Alabama, former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill discussed his family's political history as well as his ambition to be Alabama Secretary of State with me and lead editor of the Alabama Gazette, Brandon Moseley.

Alabama Pedigree

Often times when it comes to thinking of famous names in Alabama politics we conjure up images of the Wallace's, Folsom's and Baxley's. we never think of the Merrills.

Long Lineage

Secretary Merrill told us of his prestigious pedigree:

Actually, I've had a number of relatives who served in different positions in our state's history. Several that served in the Alabama legislature. One, Hugh D. Merrill Sr., who was Speaker of the House of Representatives Pelham Merrill, who was the pro tem in the House of Representatives, then served 24 years on the state Supreme Court. Hugh D.

Merrill Jr. Served as chairman of Ways and Means for 16 years and was in the legislature for 24 years. And my father was a circuit clerk in Cleveland County, also probate judge in Cleveland County, a total of 18 years. And then I served in the Alabama legislature for a term from 2010 to 2014. And then as Alabama's 53rd Secretary of State from January the 19th, 2015 to January the 16th of 2023."

Fulfilling A Dream

On his drive to be Alabama Secretary of State Mr Merrill said thiss the status of..

"Yes, I decided that that's something I would like to consider pursuing when I was about 14 years of age. And I was at a political event with my father there at the courthouse in Cleveland County, there in Heflin, where our courthouse is located, and there was a young man who came to the event that day. This was an event just trying to give people that were running for office an opportunity to come and share their platform and meet folks, and so it was probably late summer of 1978, and he was tall, very attractive, very well-spoken, and I asked my dad, I said, who is that guy?

What's he running for? He said his name is Don Sigelman, and he's running for Secretary of State. And I said, well, what does Secretary of State do? And he said, well, they're responsible for our elections, for business incorporations and licensing, for international adoptions. And I said, that sounds like something I might like to look at at some point in the future. And so I started following, at the time, Don Sigelman's career.

He ultimately became governor, but I saw him win that campaign and then go on and do other things. But then watching all the people that held that office from that time in 1978 until I was fortunate enough to be elected by the people of Alabama in 2014."

John Merrill served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives and two terms is Alabama Secretary of State.