Local attorney Stephanie Stewart Cotton has declared her candidacy for the Republican nomination for Covington County Circuit Clerk.

Cotton is a lifelong resident of Covington County and a graduate of Straughn High School. She began her career in the legal field at the age of 21 as a court reporter, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Faulkner Unive-rsity and later a juris doctorate from the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law.

“There are many components in the judicial system,” Cotton said. “In my 14 years, I’ve experienced the majority of those components firsthand – first, as an observer and recorder, and now, as an active participant representing clients.

“The current workings of the circuit clerk’s office work in such an efficient manner, it could serve as a model for other offices,” Cotton said. “My experience in the legal field is particularly important to maintain the office’s current momentum, in light of drastic budget cuts while maintaining the public’s accessibility to the office.”

Cotton currently serves on the board of directors for Opportunity House and as chairwoman of the county’s Coordinated Community Response Task Force. She is a member of the Alabama Bar Association and the Covington County Bar Association, as well as a past member of the LBW Community College Foundation.

She is married to Lamar Cotton, owner and operator of Cotton Tractor. The couple has one daughter, Helena Cotton.