¶ 2. Geography and Communities
- Mapped boundary extent: Bounded approximately by west longitude -88.026319, south latitude 30.549188, east longitude -87.789739, and north latitude 30.821502 according to U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line geographic files.
- Overlapping municipalities: Covers portions of Spanish Fort, Daphne, Loxley, and Fairhope; municipal overlaps are partial, leaving parts of each corporate entity outside district lines.
- Unincorporated communities: Includes unincorporated suburban residential corridors, agricultural tracts, and timber lands east of the Eastern Shore bluffs toward central Baldwin County.
- Major transportation corridors: Bisected east-to-west by Interstate 10, connecting the district to Mobile across the bay, alongside primary north-south connectors U.S. Route 98 and U.S. Route 31.
- Hydrology and environmental systems: Borders the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and the sensitive wetland ecosystems of the lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, creating significant coastal wetland interface and drainage management priorities.
¶ 3. Population and Electorate
- Total population: 52,320 persons, with a margin of error of +/- 2,022, per the U.S. Census Bureau 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
- Median household income: $92,549, with a margin of error of +/- $8,310, reflecting an affluent suburban economic base within Baldwin County.
- Poverty metrics: 3,488 persons living below the federal poverty line out of an assessed poverty universe of 51,858 individuals (margin of error +/- 838).
- Housing and household stability: Composed primarily of single-family owner-occupied subdivisions developed across the Eastern Shore over recent decades, with growing multi-family development along highway arterials.
- Electorate characteristics: Characterized by high suburban voter registration and steady population influx driven by cross-bay commuter migration from Mobile and retirement relocations.
¶ 4. Elections and Political Context
- Incumbent tenure: Republican representative Matt Simpson was elected to the seat during previous general cycles and appears in the legislative directory as of September 30, 2026.
- 2026 election cycle calendar: Alabama primary elections took place on May 19, 2026, with primary runoffs on June 16, 2026, and the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026, per the Alabama Secretary of State Election Information.
- Certified Republican nominee: Danielle Duggar, certified by the Alabama Secretary of State on August 28, 2026.
- Certified Democratic nominee: Terri Osborne, certified by the Alabama Secretary of State on August 26, 2026.
- General election status: The contest remains pending general election voting and certification; historical voting records establish strong Republican performance across northern Baldwin County legislative districts.
¶ 5. Economic and Civic Anchors
- Public education institutions: Spanish Fort High School and Daphne High School, situated inside the district footprint, serve as primary community focal points administered by Baldwin County Public Schools.
- Higher education regional service: Coastal Alabama Community College, located in adjacent Fairhope, provides vocational and collegiate transfer programs serving district residents.
- Healthcare delivery inside district: Eastern Shore Urgent Care in Spanish Fort provides primary and outpatient emergency stabilization within district boundaries.
- Regional healthcare anchors: Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, operated by Infirmary Health, delivers specialized inpatient and comprehensive acute emergency medical care for the Eastern Shore.
- Commercial retail nodes: Eastern Shore Centre, situated at the intersection of Interstate 10 and State Route 181 in Spanish Fort, anchors retail commerce, hospitality, and dining inside the district.
- Local municipal government anchors: Spanish Fort City Hall anchors municipal administration, police services, and local planning departments within the district.
- Regional civic and business organizations: Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce coordinates business development and civic advocacy across Spanish Fort, Daphne, and Fairhope.
- Regional logistics and industrial connections: Alabama Port Authority in Mobile connects local logistics networks and serves as a major employment center for cross-bay commuters living in District 96.
¶ 6. People and Organizations to Map
- Municipal and county leaders: City leadership in Spanish Fort and Daphne alongside the Baldwin County Commission, coordinating regional transportation, sewer infrastructure, and stormwater retention.
- School system administrators: The Baldwin County Board of Education leadership, managing capital investments and school capacity adjustments for rapidly expanding student bodies.
- Environmental and preservation advocates: Civic groups and watershed coalitions monitoring the health of Mobile Bay and the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta amidst suburban land conversion.
- Question 1: What relationship, if any, exists between expanding freight and commuter capacity along Interstate 10 and municipal annexations across Spanish Fort and Daphne?
- Question 2: What relationship, if any, exists between rapid suburban population growth within northern Baldwin County and the expansion of outpatient clinics versus reliance on regional acute care centers like Thomas Hospital?
- Question 3: What relationship, if any, exists between workforce commuting patterns into the Mobile metropolitan industrial core and commercial retail revenue trends at the Eastern Shore Centre?
¶ 7. Representation and Legislative Work
- Current representative: Matt Simpson, serving in the House of Representatives during the 2022-2026 quadrennium representing District 96.
- Legislative assignments: Has participated in judiciary, ethics, and local legislation committees addressing Baldwin County regional infrastructure and statutory oversight.
- Infrastructure and regional policy: Primary legislative work impacting District 96 focuses on Mobile River Bridge and Bayway funding frameworks, highway corridor expansions, and coastal insurance rate reform.
- Intergovernmental coordination: Represents suburban Baldwin County interests in state-level allocations for public school funding, coastal environmental preservation grants, and municipal road improvements.