By Alabama Public Radio
Birmingham, AL – Birmingham Mayor Bernard Kincaid did not avoid a runoff in yesterday's mayoral election. He won the most votes with 32 percent, but he will face City Councilwoman Carole Smitherman next month. Smitherman won 23 percent of the ballots. Polls showed Kincaid as the strongest candidate in the field of 18 contenders, but the large number made it unlikely anyone would win more than 50 percent of the vote. Kincaid and Smitherman will hold a runoff election November fourth.