Editor’s note: The Times is counting down 2020’s most noteworthy stories as determined by The Times editorial staff.

Voters went to the polls several times in 2020 for local, state and national elections, and the results in Cullman County saw several changes in local leadership but no surprises at the state and federal levels.

It took a runoff to secure the victory, but the Cullman County Commission had a new chairman take over after Jeff “Clem” Clemons beat out incumbent Kenneth Walker in the Republican primary for the position and run unopposed in the general election.

Dodge City’s municipal election also came down to a runoff, with incumbent Councilman Ervin Chumley returning to office for another term.

Cullman saw Mayor Woody Jacobs and all of its council members re-elected for new four-year terms in August’s municipal elections, but a few towns around the county saw shakeups in their councils.

Baileyton saw some of the biggest changes, with Mayor Windell Calloway beating incumbent Johnny Dyar and new council members Benny Guthrie, Roy Shedd and Dewayne Sumner taking their seats.

Holly Pond also saw a new mayor elected after former Mayor Bill Oliver declined to run for re-election. Mayor Carla Hart was sworn into office alongside new council member Julie Ray, who beat incumbent councilwoman Lou Thomas.

Colony was the other town in Cullman County to elect a new mayor, with Curtis Johnson unseating incumbent Donnis Leeth. Three new council members, Eric Carwell, Mary Louise Parker and Jasmine Cole, were also elected by town residents.

Good Hope saw council member Eric Phillips win his election over incumbent Maxie Jones, while new Hanceville council member Patty Nail Dean beat out incumbent Charles Wilson to take her place.

South Vinemont also saw a council member elected in August, with new councilman Chris Thompson beating incumbent JoAnn Oakley.

In Garden City, Patsy Chafin retained her seat in a close race against Oscar Goodwin. Less than 10 votes separated the two.

The Cullman City School Board saw two new faces take their places after August’s municipal election. Cheryl Harrison and Amy Carter both joined the board while incumbents Chris Branham and Jason Neal secured their re-elections.

One of the state’s U.S. Senate seats was also up for grabs in November’s general election, and Republican Tommy Tuberville walked away with a victory over incumbent Democrat Doug Jones with 60.21 percent of the vote. In Cullman County, Tuberville received 86.17 percent of the vote.

While President Donald Trump failed to win re-election for a second term in office, the results in Cullman County were overwhelmingly in his favor. Trump won Alabama’s nine electoral votes with 62.15 percent of the statewide vote and 88.15 percent of the vote in Cullman County.