| Jamie Kiel Biography
Jamie Glenn Kiel is an American politician who has served as a Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives for District 18 since November 7, 2018. Born on December 9, 1974, he represents parts of Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale counties in Northwest Alabama, a district that uniquely borders both Tennessee and Mississippi. Kiel resides in Russellville, Alabama, where he maintains his district office at 14696 Highway 43.
Before entering politics, Kiel established himself as a businessman in his community. In 1996, while still pursuing his degree at the University of North Alabama, he founded Kiel Equipment, a company that began as a small local business and has since expanded to serve customers across Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, selling and leasing mowers, tractors, and other heavy equipment. The business has been operating for over 25 years and continues to be a significant part of his professional life. In 2013, Kiel also became a managing partner with SAL Properties, a property management company.
Kiel's political career began in 2017 when he announced his candidacy for the Alabama House of Representatives after incumbent Democrat Johnny Mack Morrow announced he would not seek re-election. In the 2018 Republican primary, Kiel defeated Tony Riley with 79.9% of the vote, and then went on to win the general election against Democratic opponent Eddie Britton with 71.7% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2022, defeating Libertarian candidate Talia Shimp with 94.9% of the vote.
In the Alabama House of Representatives, Kiel has taken on several committee responsibilities. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Education Committee, which oversees the state's education budget of over $8 billion. He is also a member of the Insurance Committee, State Government Committee, and Ports, Waterways and Intermodal Transit Committee. Additionally, he serves on the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Finances and Budget.
Throughout his legislative career, Kiel has been particularly active in sponsoring legislation related to election integrity. In 2023 and 2024, he proposed anti-ballot harvesting bills aimed at preventing fraud in the absentee ballot process. Despite initial opposition, his efforts culminated in the passage of legislation that increased penalties for voter fraud and ballot harvesting. Kiel has also been involved in education initiatives, including spearheading an effort in 2023 to secure $25,000 in funding for scholarships for students from Colbert and Franklin counties attending the University of North Alabama.
Beyond his political and business activities, Kiel has been active in community service. He is a founding member of the Franklin County Broadband Taskforce, which has worked since 2013 to expand internet access in rural areas. His efforts contributed to securing a $3.8 million grant through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to expand fiber networks into rural Franklin County. Kiel has also served on the SACS Accreditation and Federal Monitoring Committees for the Franklin County school system.
Kiel currently serves on the University of North Alabama Foundation Board and the Northwest-Shoals Community College Foundation Board of Directors. His community involvement extends to youth sports, where he has served as a youth league basketball and baseball coach.
In his personal life, Kiel is married to Melissa Kiel, who works as a teacher in the Russellville School System and was named Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year in 2016. They have three daughters- Sarah Kate, Audrey Claire, and Lydia Grace, who attend Russellville Schools. The Kiel family is actively involved at Tharptown Baptist Church, where Jamie served as the music director for 20 years from 1996 to 2016. His musical talents extend beyond church service, as he also plays piano and guitar. |