Nancy Worley

Background

Worley was born in New Hope, Alabama.

Career

She is currently the Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. Worley received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montevallo and an Master of Arts from Jacksonville State University. 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 non-consecutive terms as the president of the Alabama Education Association (American Economic Association) from 1983-1984 and 1995-1997.

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.

Worley"s tenure as Secretary of State included substantial reforms, including longer and uniform polling hours, voter identification, and automatic recounts in close races. 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 Attorney General Troy King"s office, 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 trialoned trial of related misdemeanor charges. In October, 2012, Worley plead guilty via a "best interest" plea on one misdemeanor count and agreed to pay a $100 fine. 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. She was elected in 2013 by the Alabama Democratic Party to be chairperson of the party in the Republican-dominated state, having previously served as interim Chair since April 2013 and Vice Chair since January 2007.

Achievements

• She has won various teaching awards including Teacher of the Year. A Teacher Hall of Fame nominee. Honored by the Alabama Junior Chamber of Commerce as Alabama’s Outstanding Young Educator. And Good Housekeeping’s "100 Young Women of Promise.".

Connections

associate:

Joe Reed