Chris Elliott (politician)

Sen. Elliott with Baldwin EDA director Lee Lawson and Governor Kay Ivey at the Paris Air show.

Senator Elliott was born and raised in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. After graduating from St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile, Chris received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Richmond in Virginia, majoring in political science and urban policy.

Active in Republican politics for over two decades, Senator Chris Elliott has worked with numerous statewide and local political campaigns in Alabama. Chris served on the executive committee of the Baldwin County Republican Party, formerly as Vice Chairman for District 2, served on the Steering Committee of the Baldwin County Republican Party, the executive committee of the Alabama Republican Party, is a member and past Chairman of the Baldwin County Young Republicans, and is an associate member of both the Eastern Shore and South Baldwin Republican Women.

Sen. Elliott debating legislation on the floor of Alabama Senate

After completing his undergraduate studies, Chris worked for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Emergency Management field and for Virginia Power focusing on Nuclear Security and Emergency Preparedness. He returned home to Baldwin County to raise his family where he is a small business owner who has started several successful small businesses.

Chris and his family are members of St. James Episcopal Church of Fairhope where he served as an usher and served on the Church's Vestry. Chris is an avid sailor and upland bird hunter

Sen. Elliott opposing proposed I-10 Bridge Toll at MPO Meeting

Senator Elliott is an active member of the Alabama Senate, serving as vice-chairman of the Senate Government Affairs Committee and as a member of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee; the Tourism Committee; the Transportation & Energy Committee; the Banking & Insurance Committee; the Committee on Confirmations; the Education Policy Committee; the Joint Transportation Committee; the Oil and Gas Study Committee; the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Alabama Housing Finance Authority; the advisory board for the Alabama Department of Senior Services; and the Aerospace and Defense Caucus.

He formerly served as the Chairman of the Baldwin County Commission and the Chairman of the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization, as well as on various national, statewide and countywide boards and committees. While Commissioner, Chris also served on the Board of Directors of Baldwin County United Way.

Elliott served as a member of the Baldwin County Commission from 2014 to 2018, including a term as Chairman of the commission. Elliott also served as chairman of the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization.

In 2015, he was recognized as one of the Mobile Area's Top 40 Under 40 Young Leaders by Mobile Bay Monthly Magazine[1] and, in 2018, he was recognized in the Yellowhammer Power and Influence 50,Who's Next,[2] an annual list of the 50 most powerful and influential players in Alabama politics. He is a graduate of the Alabama Leadership Initiative and a member of the 30th Class of Leadership Alabama.[3] In 2020, Chris was recognized as an Emerging Legislative Leader by the State Legislative Leaders Foundation and the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business [4] and was named the Alabama Forestry Association's "Legislator of the Year" in 2021 [5]

Elliott currently serves on the following committees:[6]

• Vice Chair: Governmental Affairs
• Member: Confirmations
• Member: Education Policy
• Member: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
• Member: Banking and Insurance
• Member: Transportation and Energy
• Member: Tourism

• Infrastructure Funding - Securing transportation funding for Baldwin County is a top priority for Senator Elliott since his service on the Baldwin County Commission. Senator Elliott Serves on the Senate Transportation Committee, was appointed by the Lt. Governor to serve on the Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) and serves as the Chairman of the JTC's State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) subcommittee. The STIP allocates state transportation funding dollars.[7]
• School Funding & Debt Structure - Senator Elliott is committed to providing more funding for schools and has successfully shepherded legislation [8] that ensures fast growing school districts receive more funding sooner, approximately $12 million annually, from Alabama's education budget [9] and that those dollars are spent efficiently by passing legislation [10] that protects those dollars without needing to encumber them with debt, a savings of $162 million over 30 years.[11]
• GOMESA Funding - The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 provides funding to mitigate the impacts of offshore oil and gas drilling and exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. Senator Elliott is determined that the state's portion of this funding is reserved only for use in Mobile and Baldwin counties.[12]
• Water Access - Access to our waterways remains a top funding priority for Senator Elliott. He advocates for and has successfully secured 10's of millions of dollars in funding for significant improvements to water access in Coastal Alabama.[13]

Boat Ramp Ground Breaking

• I-10 Toll Bridge Opposition - Senator Elliott has long supported the improvement of the I-10 corridor over Mobile Bay and has been a leader in highlighting the need for this project. However, he has been and remains opposed to the toll proposed by Governor Kay Ivey to pay for the project.[14] He was instrumental in the efforts to thwart the Governor's toll plan which drew the Governor's ire.[15]
• Police Jurisdictions and Extraterritorial Jurisdictions - Taxation without representation has been a rallying cry for over 250 years, yet in Alabama it persists. Senator Elliott led the way passing legislation [16] to prevent Alabama municipalities from taxing, policing and regulating individuals and businesses outside of their corporate limits.[17]
• Vaccine Mandates - Senator Elliott believes that the decision to take a COVID-19 vaccination should be between an individual and their doctor [18] and not mandated by the federal government or employers.[19] He successfully authored and passed SB 9 [20] which prevents employers from terminating an employee based on their COVID-19 vaccine status and provides for broad exemptions from any mandates under state law.[21]

• Political profile at Bama Politics
• Vote Smart - Chris Elliot profile
• http://electchriselliott.com/