Summary (Optional)
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Quick Summary
- Worked as a federal prosecutor and has been a lawyer across Alabama for decades.
- Helped start a mental health crisis center and trained over 1,000 police officers in how to handle mental health situations.
- Supports making voting easier—early voting and fixing ballot mistakes. Democratic nominee for Alabama Secretary of State in 2026.
Information is based on public sources and is presented for voter education. You can review the sources and decide what matters most to you.
Party: Democratic
Overview
Wayne Rogers is a lawyer from Thomasville, Alabama, running for Secretary of State. He worked as a federal prosecutor from 1989 to 1995 and then worked as a lawyer for businesses and people all across Alabama—in 66 of Alabama's 67 counties.
Beyond his law practice, Rogers has been involved in mental health and crisis services. He helped start a center in Birmingham to help people with mental health and addiction issues get care. He's also trained police officers in how to handle mental health crises.
For elections, Rogers supports making voting easier—things like early voting and letting voters fix ballot mistakes instead of automatically rejecting them.
What He Did
Short version: key actions and why they may matter to your vote.
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Helping People With Mental Health Crises
Action:
Rogers helped create the Craig Crisis Care Center in Birmingham in 2023. It gives people with mental illness or addiction problems a place to get help instead of alternatives such as jail or other disciplinary measures.
Why it matters:
This model is often discussed as an alternative response option for some mental health and addiction crises. Rogers' involvement in this center may indicate a treatment-focused approach in those situations. -
Trained Police Officers on Mental Health Situations
Action:
Rogers says he's trained more than 1,000 police officers in Crisis Intervention Team practices—training on how to respond when someone is having a mental health crisis.
Why it matters:
Crisis-intervention training is intended to help officers respond to mental health emergencies and de-escalate encounters when possible. This work may indicate Rogers places emphasis on mental health response in policing contexts. -
Worked as a Federal Prosecutor
Action:
Rogers was a federal prosecutor from 1989 to 1995, handling cases involving federal laws in federal court.
Why it matters:
Being a prosecutor gives someone courtroom experience and knowledge of how the legal system works. For Secretary of State, Rogers may bring that legal background. -
Has Worked as a Lawyer All Across Alabama
Action:
After his time as a federal prosecutor, Rogers worked as a lawyer for businesses and people across Alabama. He says he's appeared in courts in 66 of Alabama's 67 counties.
Why it matters:
Having worked in courts across the state means Rogers has seen legal issues that matter to communities in different parts of Alabama. -
Wants to Make Voting Easier
Action:
Rogers supports adding early voting, making it easier to get an absentee ballot, and allowing voters to fix ballot mistakes instead of having the ballot rejected outright.
Why it matters:
The Secretary of State oversees election administration, so these proposals could affect how easily some voters cast ballots and how local election offices handle corrections and absentee processes.
Supporters say: Expanding these options could increase access for voters who work long hours, have transportation barriers, or need absentee voting.
Critics say: Alabama should keep current rules unless changes are paired with safeguards that protect confidence in election administration.
Experience
- Executive Assistant, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
- Assistant United States Attorney (1989-1995)
- Managing Counsel, Travelers Insurance Company
- Partner, DeGaris & Rogers, LLC
- Board Member, JBS Mental Health Authority
Things to Think About
- Rogers has been involved with mental health and crisis services. Do you think experience with criminal justice and public safety topics could matter when choosing a Secretary of State?
- Rogers supports early voting, easier absentee access, and ballot-cure options. What balance do you prefer between voting access and current election procedures?
- Rogers worked in courts all across Alabama. Do you think statewide legal experience could be important for overseeing elections and business records?
Sources
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