| Nancy Worley | |
|---|---|
| 50th Secretary of State of Alabama | |
| In office 2003 – 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | James R. Bennett (R) |
| Succeeded by | Beth Chapman (R) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 7, 1951 New Hope, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | New Hope, Alabama |
| Occupation | Educator (retired) |
Nancy Worley (born November 7, 1951) is an American Democratic politician.
Worley was born in New Hope, Alabama. 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 received a B.A. degree from the University of Montevallo and an M.A. from Jacksonville State University.[1] She has served on many commissions across the state of Alabama as an advocate for educators and women. Secretary Worley taught for 25 years in the Decatur School System, and served two non consecutive terms as the president of the Alabama Education Association (AEA).
Worley points out that her tenure as Secretary of State included substantial reforms, including longer and uniform polling hours, voter identification, and automatic recounts in close races.[2] Worley is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, a post she won at the January 2007 State Democratic Executive Committee Meeting.[3]
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 postponed trial of related misdemeanor charges.[4] 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.[5]