Secretary of State–elect, John Merrill doing what he has always wanted to do
By Amanda Walker
Special to The Watchman
“I remember being five-years-old, running around playing at the courthouse. My dad was the Cleburne County Circuit Clerk and later a Probate Judge. I was just there to be with him, but it put me on course. I never considered anything other than a life dedicated to public service.”
John Harold Merrill was born in Wedowee to Horace and Mary Merrill. He grew up in Heflin, graduated from Cleburne County High School and attended the University of Alabama, where he was the President of the Student Government Association in 1986-1987.
On several levels, his life has prepared him to be secretary of state. Besides being active in the community and serving in many leadership capacities. He served as the spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa County School System and coordinated 20 after-school programs until he was elected State Representative for House District 62 in 2010. He resigned from the school system to insure he did not “double dip.” He then became a Business Development Officer for First Federal Bank in Tuscaloosa.
Merrill is not in any way intimidated by the over 1,000 duties assigned to the office of secretary of state, not the least of which is being Alabama’s Chief Election Official.
“I definitely believe my family has been called into politics. Members of my family have served from the county level to the state level.”
And indeed, a line of cousins preceding him in holding public office, Hugh Davis Merrill was Lieutenant Governor from 1931-1935, and then served as Speaker of the House. Hugh Davis Merrill Jr., was a State Representative as well as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
But it was Pelham Jones Merrill, also of Heflin, who was a role model in his life. Pelham Merrill was elected to the House of Representatives in 1936 to finish the term of Edward. B. Parker. He was then elected to the State Democratic Executive Committee from the Fifth Congressional District and served until the start of World War II.
Pelham Merrill volunteered for service in the Air Corps in June of 1942. When he was discharged in February 1946, with the rank of major, he was once again elected to represent Cleburne County in the Alabama House of Representatives. Twice, he was elected Speaker Pro-Tem.
His legislature career came to a close in 1952 when he was elected as an Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He remained in the Air Force Reserve until 1967 when, with the rank of colonel, he was awarded the Air Medal. He served four consecutive six-year terms before retiring from the Alabama Supreme Court in 1976.
Pelham and Gladys Merrill had no children. It would be in his honor that John Merrill and his wife of 29 years, the former Cindy Benford of Phil Campbell – and the current principal at Westwood Elementary School in Coker – named their son Pelham Brooks Merrill.
Brooks is a graduate of the University of Alabama and a current graduate student at The University of South Florida. The Merrills’ daughter, Allie Grace, also attends the University of Alabama. She served Internships with Congresswoman Terri Sewell and former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor – who lost his bid for re-election in the June 3 primaries. After completing the Internship she returned to her studies and has business ambitions of becoming a sole proprietor.
Both of Merrill’s children were young adults when he was first elected as a State Representative. While fully supportive of their father, neither have any desire to be in elected office. Merrill does not try and persuade them, but does allow the chance for change…with time.
Merrill confesses that most people do not care for politics.
“They tend to tune it out, but really everyone needs to care because politics affects them every day, both personally and professionally. If you choose not to be involved, you are letting other people make choices that may not be best for you and those you care about.”
“Usually there is an incident that causes people to get started. They see a need to right a wrong. It takes a cause. Most people don’t think about politics until elections or they need something from a particular office.”
“The first step for anyone considering a run for office is to make sure they are doing it for the right reasons. Make sure it is worth the cost. There is more to it than getting your name out. Those type campaigns are seldom successful.”
“It is younger people who sometimes feel a pull toward or a fascination with politics. They should get involved in their communities. Join clubs, offer themselves for leadership positions, do the work. Often it will be the work nobody wants to do. They should do it anyway. That is what will separate them from others. And it will put them in a position to be around people with experience in the areas they wish to pursue.”
Merrill remembers a chance meeting at a Cleburne County political event where he met former Governor Don Siegelman, who was making his first run for secretary of state.
“I was just this 14-year-old boy and he had such a commanding presence about himself. It was after meeting him that I set my sight on one day being secretary of state.”
It was while serving as a Congressional Intern from May to July 1983, while still attending The University of Alabama, that Merrill met his mentor, Congressman Bill Nichols.
Nichols was instrumental in passing the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986.
“I worked as an Intern the following year for Howell Heflin, and I thought a lot of him too, but Bill Nichols was my greatest influence. He, more than anyone, supported me and encouraged me. He was one of the best men I ever knew.”
After his Nov. 4, victory over Albert-Kaigler of Mobile, Merrill announced, “I am now doing what I have always wanted to do and I have one goal, to be remembered as the greatest secretary of state in the history of Alabama.”
Merrill will succeed Jim Bennett, who was appointed by Governor Robert Bentley to the position after former secretary of state, Beth Chapman, resigned Aug. 1, 2013. Bennett did not seek re-election.
Merrill believes the process of voting has to be protected for its credibility and integrity.
“It has to be protected or people will turn away from it and quit participating.”
He intends to be proactive in combating voter fraud, enforcing the Voter ID law, and investigating voting abnormalities.
“If there are codes that need expanding, we will take it to the legislature and we will explain the reasons the changes are necessary, because that is the way you do it.”
In his acceptance speech Tuesday night at the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion in Tuscaloosa, Merrill told a crowd of supporters that he was aware of the excessive use of absentee ballots and vote-buying allegations within certain districts of Wilcox County.
When asked to expound Merrill replied,
“These practices are about to cease. Future elections in Wilcox County will be handled the way they are handled in the other 66 counties of Alabama. You can never go wrong when you follow the law. If you don’t like the laws, make legislation to change them, but you cannot on your own decide to change them. Anybody doing this should be reported and investigated. If, after the investigation, they are found guilty, then they need to be convicted and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
The line between Merrill’s choosing a life of public service and his life’s destiny seems to be invisible. With one in line with the other, his goal of being remembered as the best secretary of state in the history of Alabama may not only be attainable, but a single stop along the way of a life well-prepared for many successes.